Courting controversy since the start of its release, ‘Kabir Singh’ may be the victim of hypocritical reasoning
BHUBANESWAR: Shahid Kapoor and Kiara Advani starrer ‘Kabir Singh’ has courted controversy since the day of its release due to its regressive way of treating of women.
However, despite negative reviews by critics, the movie is doing good business at the box-office. The film has already crossed 50 crore mark on Day 3 and is charging towards the 100 crore club.
Singer Sona Mohapatra took to Twitter to criticise the movie and termed it as a ‘Misogynistic movie’ replete with ‘toxic masculine acts’. She tweeted, “Does the actor have no responsibility for choosing to play a part in a narrative that can set us back as a society? Is that all we have become? Creatures of ambition? Didn’t notice the deeply misogynistic & patriarchal narrative? Just intense acting? That is truly deeply disturbing. That you are the chairperson of the @NCWIndia , makes me wonder about what we can hope for when it comes to women’s place in #India.”
Many critics termed the movie as bad example of showcasing masculinity while some termed it as form of art which should not be taken in a wrong way. Orissa POST interacted with city folks to delve deeper into the subject.
Saranya Das said, “I can safely say that any story which makes a hero out of a violent person whose first attempt is to get a girl by force and who doesn’t care about operating while he’s drugged, is misogynist. And to portray it in a way that makes people empathise with it is misogynist too. I do not know what Sona has commented, but if, as per what you say, she has termed it as a misogynist piece, she is absolutely right.”
City-based filmmaker Swastik Choudhury said, “Our present generation is living in times where they find it quite difficult to identify real icons and heroes who should be celebrated. Scientists, artistes, scholars, teachers and doctors do not become mass leaders easily. Just look at our political and ideological leaders 50 years back and their backgrounds. With hundreds of avenues to hijack soft minds, the one who can splash money and control information rules today.”
Actress Sindura Rout said, “Firstly, take a bow Shahid Kapoor for your amazing performance. This is by far his best one till date. ‘Kabir Singh’ is just a commercial movie for entertainment. It’s not a biopic or educational movie. It’s a work of fiction and I don’t think Shahid Kapoor should be blamed as an actor.”
Young filmmaker and member of Film Society of Bhubaneswar Abhishek Parija said, “Kabir Singh lives now and today, among us. This is the danger of judging films solely on the basis of their narrative tropes. Given to all that I have said till now, one can clearly argue that many so called socially relevant films like ‘Sonchiriya’ are equally problematic as ‘Kabir Sing’. Hence, clearly our social and film critics, including the entire pseudo-intellectual social media base are intellectually inefficient in reasonably drawing a line of criticism. They are conveniently and hypocritically reasonable. They can abandon their coveted intellectual weapon any time when it suits them.”
Anchor Jyotsna Priyadarshini said, “The movie was great. It’s not right to term the movie as misogynistic as Kabir was deeply in love with his girl. Even after seeing her pregnant, he accepts her without any second thought. As was clearly shown in the movie, Kabir had anger issues and in such situations, a common man would have been more harmful. Lastly, it’s an adult movie. Hence, the audience needs to behave like adults and not a morbid lot.”
Arindam Ganguly, OP
