Shobhaa De | Watch out for grasshoppers, in Bollywood and in politics
Kangana Ranaut has effortlessly embraced her two main passions -- Bollywood and politics -- unlike her showbiz senior colleagues, who strolled into politics as if by default, when roles dried up. Well, Kangana has always opted for hatke decisions in life. And in her case, both her roles have merged. Bollywood has distanced itself from the outspoken star. And political watchers are wondering what to do with her, now she is there to stay. Either way, Kangana remains the outsider who has the knack of saying what others don’t. Because, frankly, she has nothing to lose. If Bollywood snubs her, she goes ahead and trashes Bollywood. She doesn’t think aage peechhay. She doesn’t have to! Kangana sails forth and makes her own movies. As for political clout and credibility… well, let’s just say she has the blessings (and love!) of those who matter in the BJP. Kangana is untouchable. Which is why she’s a treat to watch as she takes off on Bollywood brats or Olympic athletes, during fiery podcasts, where she prefers to sit cross-legged, like a mob boss, and hold forth as only she can. Recently, she described her Bollywood colleagues as “grasshoppers” – empty-headed, shallow, vapid and directionless -- actors who have nothing to say, zero conversation, and no interests beyond their abs, protein shakes, gym workouts, handbags, watches and cars. The rest of the world can be blowing apart… but their routine doesn’t change. And yes, it involves hours of sleep! Grasshoppers!
At a critical time in our nation, when the focus is on a brutal, horrific, beastly rape-murder case in Kolkata, there were several prominent grasshoppers who chose to remain indifferent, silent and detached from the tragedy that shook millions out of the standard stupor that rape generates in India. Why did this particular incident hit where it hurts the most? Why did thousands of protesters take to the streets and demand justice for the victim: a vulnerable young doctor grabbing forty winks after working non-stop for 36 hours, whose dream was to win a gold medal when she passed her MD exams? Because India reached that critical tipping point on August 9, when at 3 am, Sanjoy Roy, a police volunteer, pounced on her and tore her apart.
The time for theories, excuses, justifications and explanations is long over. But we still don’t know what we should know: Why was the 31-year-old doctor killed? Who is behind the grisly murder? Just Sanjoy Roy alone? Other co-conspirators? Is the real villain being shielded by a powerful lobby? How did the swift cover-up take place even before an investigation? There are far too many loopholes, too many question marks… and too many grasshoppers. Kolkata wallas are saying: “It’s easy to pass the buck and make Didi the vamp of this saga… while the actual perpetrators are having the last laugh.” Assuming the “real” perpetrators belong to the BJP, why was Mamata so actively involved in offering state government lawyers and other help to Sandip Ghosh, the disgraced (and disgraceful) principal of R.G. Kar Medical College? What does she owe this awful man? What does he have on her that she fears? Had the people of Kolkata not protested as vociferously, this would have been just another day in the life of a city hospital, clearly being run with impunity by criminals… the very men being shielded by the Mamata administration. Her 11 women MPs chose to seal their lips. Not a word of solace for the victim’s family. Worse, they widely circulated a counter-narrative which accuses the Congress of spreading misinformation! Significantly, Didi’s former MP and blue-eyed girl Mimi Chakraborty has received death threats for backing the doctors’ protests.
Didi’s “Dadagiri” has gone unchallenged for too long, with active support from influential local media houses, who have prospered under Didi’s despotic regime. But Didi’s supporters insist it is Rahul Gandhi who is responsible for distorting facts. Never mind that the victim’s mangled body was shown to her grief-stricken father, and a case of suicide was floated, despite all the evidence pointing to murder. Political points had to be made.
This is where the grasshopper theory kicks in (thank you, Kangana). There are far too many grasshoppers in Kolkata. Had it not been for the timely intervention of India’s superhero, Dhananjaya Y. Chandrachud, and the CJI-led bench that acted swiftly and asked for the CISF/CRPF to be deployed, Kolkata would’ve been burning. However, citizens have wondered why the SC needed to order a task force to address a workplace rape in a hospital. We have conveniently forgotten the tragedy of former nurse Aruna Shanbag, raped in Mumbai (1973), who remained unconscious for 42 years, till she passed away. No task force came to her defence.
“What was the police doing?’’ the CJI-led bench asked. No answer. D.Y. Chandrachud thundered: “The nation can’t wait for another rape for things to change on the ground.” Well, before he could finish his sentence, ghastly stories of more rapes and physical abuse of toddlers were rocking the country. Meanwhile, the alleged murderer of the 31-year-old Kolkata doctor was being “psycho-analysed” by experts, who declared Sanjoy Roy a “sexual pervert” with “animal instincts” and zero remorse. Why is none of this shocking or surprising? Because we have heard it all and seen it all. Over and over again. We have turned into a nation of grasshoppers. Nirbhaya and after, women remain soft targets -- at home, school, college, workplace. They are not safe. Period. We can stage countless candlelight vigils, participate in protests, wave placards. Cry ourselves hoarse demanding justice. The poignant hashtags and Insta posts written by PR teams of celebrities achieve nothing.
#Reclaimthenight is all very well. What about the day? Tanushree Dutta (remember her?) commented: “It’s just a whole lot of talk…” She’s the actress who kick-started India’s #MeToo movement in 2018. Her comment related to the recently released Justice Hema Committee Report, which exposed the sexual exploitation faced by women in the Malayalam film industry. Six years on, Tanushree is still awaiting justice. She added: “So long as people in power shield these criminals, nobody can do a thing…” Tanushree has spoken for every woman who has ever faced any form of sexual abuse. Remember, in theory, the law is the same for all victims. Our courts can only do so much. Unfortunately, underprivileged, illiterate, unknown female rape victims and their relatives can hardly count on a task force to protect them. Not every woman is the same in our country. Or equal. That, perhaps, is India’s biggest failing and tragedy.
