The Indian film industry’s top celebrities have always been vocal about societal issues, using their influential platforms to address concerns of national and global significance. This past weekend, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the Lakshadweep archipelago garnered attention from Bollywood, highlighting the potential of domestic tourism within the country. However, amidst this push for exploration of Indian islands, actors Akshay Kumar and Kangana Ranaut stood up against offensive comments made by certain VIP figures from the Maldives government that targeted India and its people.
The controversy erupted when Akshay Kumar, popularly known as “Akki” among fans, expressed his astonishment over derogatory statements issued by Maldivian public figures. “Came across comments from prominent figures of Maldives passing hateful and racist comments on Indians. Surprised that they are doing this to a country that sends them the maximum number of tourists. We are good to our neighbours, but why should we tolerate such unprovoked hate?” questioned Akki. He underscored his disappointment by suggesting that Indians pivot their focus to supporting tourism in their homeland rather than visiting places where they might face such undue prejudice.
Kangana Ranaut joined her colleague in condemning the offensive posts, particularly taking umbrage at one that referred to the smell in the Indian islands. She countered the insult by emphasizing the demography of Lakshadweep, where the majority of the population practices Islam, and slammed the remark as racist and misinformed. “Lakshadweep consists of 98 per cent Muslim population; this prominent public figure from Maldives calling them smelly and lowly is rather racist and uninformed,” she retorted.
Kangana also praised the untouched natural beauty of Lakshadweep and advocated for its tourism potential. With a population of just 60,000, she described it as an “almost unexplored and unexploited natural island,” where tourism transcends luxury and becomes a celebration of nature and authenticity. The Bollywood maverick did not hold back her disappointment, calling out the racism and vulgarity of the disrespectful remarks.
On another note, the Indian entertainment industry is filled with buzz and romantic speculation. The much-adored pair Rashmika Mandanna and Vijay Deverakonda from the romantic drama “Dear Comrade” continue to keep their relationship status private despite increased public curiosity fuelled by cozy social media posts and festive visitations. Gossip surrounding the couple hints at possible engagement plans in the near future, yet official confirmations remain elusive.
Success stories in cinema are not uncommon, and Vikrant Massey’s film “12th Fail,” directed by Vidhu Vinod Chopra, is no exception. The film, which tells the true story of IPS officer Manoj Kumar Sharma, has seen a remarkable turn of fortune. After a modest beginning, it emerged victorious, selected as the closing film for the Macau Asia-Europe Young Cinema Film Festival. With the director in attendance, the film has also managed to achieve a remarkable milestone by grossing over R50 crore in India alone.
Within the same realm of showbiz, the recently released action drama “Animal” faced its share of criticism. Director Sandeep Reddy Vanga and his team have been vocal against the critics, and more recently, words from veteran lyricist Javed Akhtar have struck a chord of discord within the movie’s camp. Without directly naming the film, Akhtar stressed the importance of responsible hero portrayal in cinema, implying the influence of film narratives on societal values. The film’s social media response highlighted a perceived misunderstanding by Akhtar, defending the narrative choices of the film and arguing that the expression of love should remain unaffected by gendered politics.
Reaching international shores, Prabhas’ “Salaar: Part 1—Ceasefire,” directed by Prashanth Neel, has achieved substantial box office success and is branching out with translated releases in Spanish and Japanese. This action-packed venture is celebrated as a significant comeback for Prabhas after less successful previous films.
The vehemence of Bollywood seems not only limited to the silver screen, as news surfaces of expansions in Rohit Shetty’s cinematic cop universe. Anticipation builds around “Singham Again,” which will feature an ensemble cast including Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Akshay Kumar, Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone, and Tiger Shroff. Shweta Tiwari is the latest addition, reprising a role as an intelligence officer.
Lastly, whispers of a sequel to “Rowdy Rathore” are afloat as producer Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Shabinaa Khan revisit the blockbuster after more than a decade. Speculations suggest that filmmaker Pa Ranjith may be at the helm of this much-anticipated follow-up, potentially marking his Hindi directorial debut.
In conclusion, this weekend was a showcase of Bollywood’s active engagement with social issues, the celebration of homegrown cinema, and the industry’s unwavering bond with audiences both domestically and worldwide.
