Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan on Thursday, December 15, said that the collective narrative of our times is shaped by social media which is often “driven by a certain narrowness of view.” He said that cinema is best placed to sustain a collective counter-narrative. His comments came in the midst of a controversy over the song ‘Besharam Rang’ in his upcoming film Pathaan, with a few right-wing outfits alleging that it is offensive to Hindus. Addressing a star-studded gathering at the inaugural of the Kolkata International Film Festival (KIFF), Shah Rukh Khan said that social media is often driven by a certain narrowness of view, "making it divisive and destructive."
The actor told a cheering audience: “We haven’t been able to meet you all for a while, but the world has returned to normalcy. We are all happy, I am the happiest. I don’t hesitate to say that whatever the world does, you and I, and all the positive people are alive.” This is being perceived as a response to the protests against his upcoming film Pathaan. "Hamare jaise positive log zinda hai (We are positive and alive)," he said in Hindi, referring to a dialogue from the film’s teaser.
Protests have been staged in various parts of the country alleging that the song ‘Besharam Rang’ is offensive to Hindus, as Deepika is seen wearing orange coloured clothes in it. Among others, the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) on Thursday objected to Deepika Padukone's “saffron attire” and certain visuals in the song. The RSS affiliate also objected to the title of the song ‘Besharam Rang’, saying that Hindu society will never accept such a film.
Shah Rukh Khan said that cinema is perhaps the most important medium of modern times. “Cinema, and in fact the advent of articulation through social media platforms, have now become the foremost expression of human experience and emotion. The collective narrative of our times is shaped by social media. And contrary to the belief that the spread of social media will affect cinema negatively, I believe that cinema has an even more important role to play now,” he said.
He further said: “Social media is often driven by a certain narrowness of view, that limits human nature to its baser self. I read somewhere that negativity increases social media consumption, and thereby increases its commercial value as well. Such pursuits enclose the collective narrative, making it divisive and destructive.”
“Cinema exposes the vulnerability of human nature, by telling stories in their simplest form, as they are lived. It allows us to know each other better. In a way, it is best placed to sustain a collective counter-narrative,” he said.
Shah Rukh Khan, who earlier acted in the acclaimed movie My Name is Khan which tackles the subject of Islamophobia, said in his speech, "Cinema brings to the fore humanity's immense capacity for compassion, unity and brotherhood."
"Cinema is the best place to sustain a counter-narrative that speaks to the larger nature of humankind," Shah Rukh Khan, the guest of honour at KIFF, said. The superstar also described cinema as a vehicle "for people of different colours, castes and religions to better understand each other".
Earlier on December 14, Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra objected to actor Deepika Padukone's costume in the song ‘Besharam Rang’ and called for its "rectification". Narottam Mishra said that if certain scenes in the song are not "corrected", the state government would rethink the screening of the movie in Madhya Pradesh. He said the "green" and "saffron" colours of the attire of Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone need to be "rectified" along with the lyrics of the song and also the title of the film, which will hit the screens next month.
"In the song 'Besharam Rang' which is made with contaminated mentality, the actor and the actress are clad in green and saffron clothes in an objectionable manner," he said. He also referred to Deepika’s visit to Jawaharlal Nehru University in 2020 in a negative light. Deepika had visited the campus to express solidarity with students who were attacked by a masked mob.