After creating a frenzy on Twitter by posting a video of Bollywood celebrities claiming they were “flaunting their drugged state,” Akali Dal MLA Manjinder Singh Sirsa today penned an open letter to ‘Udta Bollywood.’ Sirsa had posted a video featuring bigwigs including Shahid Kapoor, Ranbeer Kapoor, Deepika Padukone and many others. In his open letter, he called out the Bollywood stars and wished they the guts to say sorry to the nation for breaking their trust.
“My open letter to Bollywood. Urging all to read and share, tagging Bollywood stars through Instagram and Twitter. We have #FanMoments with them; but now is the time for #QuestionMoment,” Sirsa tweeted.
https://twitter.com/mssirsa/status/1157193271283613704?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Sirsa started off on a note about his observation that since long cricket and Bollywood had held the nation.
“If Sachin Tendulkar is worshipped in our nation, there are millions of worshippers of stars like Rajinikanth as well. In a world of fan-boys and fan-girls, Bollywood stars continue to enjoy people’s unbound love and support on social media as well as on the national stage,” Sirsa wrote.
He added that Bollywood stars are given preferential front row seats during national functions and events, and treated like India’s unofficial ambassadors abroad. He went on to suggest that being the trendsetters on haircuts, hemlines and even naming of children, they should be held accountable for their actions in private life. “Does it sound fair on your part when you escape your accountability citing private life as an excuse to organise and then flaunt your drug party on Instagram?” he questioned.
His open letter comes close on the heels of popular Bollywood director-producer Karan Johar’s private party, and the video that Johar had shared on his Instagram handle on July 28, 2019. Sirsa had raised his concerns in reference to the same video that featured popular stars like Deepika Padukone, Shahid Kapoor, Vicky Kaushal, Ranbir Kapoor, Arjun Kapoor, Malaika Arora, Varun Dhawa, Sonam Kapoor and many others.
“If it was not a drug party, why were there no food or drink glasses? If it wasn’t a powder impacted state, why did you all appear stoned and shamelessly out of your senses,” he said.
Sirsa questioned whether their dislike for drugs and narcotic substances was limited to their on-screen presence and if it was to meant to defame a state for some cheap publicity (and hefty money)?
Referring to the film “Udta Punjab,” Sirsa said the film explored the widespread drug menace in the state of Punjab.
Incidentally, Shahid Kapoor, the lead star in the film ‘Udta Punjab’ was also present in the party hosted by Johar. Sirsa had earlier in his Tweet taken a jibe at the film by dubbing the party as ‘Udta Bollywood.’
“Is there any passion within you when you associate with a cause or all that campaigning is a part ‘drama’ done to please some group or agenda-setters?” Sirsa quipped.
He took the liberty to question Johar if Hardik Pandya could get punished for his sexist remarks on his show, politicians asked to resign on moral grounds, why not Bollywood from the public scanner of morality?
“If we, elected representatives, are answerable to the public; even our stars and idols are accountable for the actions they do off-screen!”
Sirsa furthered that when he saw that video, he felt “unexplained anger as if someone he knew had personally broken his trust. “Do you even realise the kind of bond people share with you, dear Bollywood? Rather than asking me to apologise, I wish Bollywood stars had the guts to say SORRY to the nation for breaking the trust.”
Sirsa had also written to Mumbai Commissioner of Police urging the Mumbai police to register an FIR against Bollywood Stars featured in the video for flaunting their drug party. He suggested they be booked under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985.