Watching Bhupendra Chaubey’s interview with Sunny Leone, I was flabbergasted to see hypocrisy taking such a blatant format, that too in a national media, comfortably playing the role of a moral police. So much have been said and discussed about the interview and the interviewer have been subjected to quite a lot of criticism in the matter.
IS SOCIAL ACCEPTANCE EVERYTHING?
For many people, choosing a career is a lot about social acceptance. But, dignity and social acceptance assigned to a job is actually a fallacy. For instance, you become a martyr or a terrorist based on the ruling party, right? To murder is a criminal deed, but it becomes a profession for a soldier. Well, for hypocrites, social acceptance and money (though they may not accept it)may be the only things that are worth struggling, but to take insults and to do what you want to do with your lives and establish in a position which gives personal gratification, like Leone has done, may be totally controversial for them.
May be, the interviewer was expecting Leone to regret her career as a porn star and he even quoted that there are several housewives who accuse her of taking away their husbands!!!! As if Indian husbands are naive toddlers who may be kidnapped by offering a chocolate. Come on, there are many Hollywood stars who were porn stars in their initial years. Like it or not, pornography happens to be one of the biggest industries in the world. And in our country where we are so reluctant about providing sex education, porn is also performing that role. Sunny Leone, the porn star, existed and became so important because the society including uptight moralists do watch her videos behind closed doors. We have already accepted her though we have not accepted our filthy fantasies and attitudes. May be it is this social insecurity that worries our moral police so much and the reason behind the double standards when it comes to women.
IS SUNNY LEONE AGAINST OUR CULTURE- NO, IF YOU CHECK YOUR FACTS
To quote M L Sharma, India does not accept a woman if she is not ‘kanya’ or ‘mata’, yet like any other civilization upon earth courtesans and sex workers existed in India. Our revered dance forms lie Kathak and Bharathnatyam was once the art forms of courtesans and yet was accepted in the mainstream culture later. Tawaaifs and devdasis were educated women with a high social status who were later degraded to prostitutes and courtesans. And are we saying that pornography is a cultural corruption?
Check the history of Indian film industry. In Tamil cinema, during 70s and 80s, Silk Smitha was a part of every movie released. Item songs were done in every Indian cinema by actresses and since 90s, heroines have been doing it. To quote the great (ahem) Farah Khan, it has become a form of women empowerment!!! And let us see, how many movies in Bollywood does not promote objectification of women? How many main stream heroines are accepted by our society? So, what would be the difference even if Sunny Leone wear a bikini or a sari? How come it irks the social subconscious so much?
SUNNY LEONE’S RESPONSE REMINDED ME OF SILK FROM ‘THE DIRTY PICTURE’
Remember Silk’s speech from The Dirty Picture? “I do not understand you people, who watch my movies, enjoy them and yet are scared to accept me? Aap apne sharaafat ke kapde pehante jaaiye, mein utharthe jaaongi.” Sunny Leone’s cool reaction to the interview reminded me of Silk’s statements. She held her head high and took all the insults but refused to be insulted. Just by this gesture, Sunny Leone showed that she is so more than a pretty face and dim wits.
