August 17, 2024, 16:38 IST
In an interview with an actor at a round table discussion, Rani Mukerji explained that women should first learn martial arts and learn to take their own responsibilities.
The Kolkata rape and murder case has sent shockwaves across the country. Amid strong condemnation and calls for justice, an interview of several Bollywood actresses in which they talk about women’s safety has resurfaced online. In the interview, Rani Mukerji said she wanted women to be “more responsible” and should learn “martial arts”. Deepika Padukone and Anushka Sharma contradicted her statement by saying that the responsibility should not be on women at all. (Also Read: Alia Bhatt, Parineeti Chopra and Ayushmann express shock over Kolkata doctor’s rape and murder case: Women are not safe anywhere)
What Rani and Deepika said
The interview is from 2018, when the Actress Roundtable featured six actresses including Deepika Padukone, Alia Bhatt, Rani Mukerji, Anushka Sharma, Tabu and Taapsee Pannu. While discussing the Me Too movement, Rani Mukerji said, “I think as a woman, you have to be so strong yourself. If you ever get into such a situation, have the courage to say ‘hold back’. It all depends on what you want in your life. If they ever get into such a situation, they should make the man suffer right there and then. Either kick him between the legs or give him a jhapad (slap) of his life. He will remember it and get scared not to do it again.”
Deepika disagreed, saying, “I don’t think everyone has that kind of DNA, unfortunately.” When Rani said that we need to take responsibility for ourselves and even suggested that girls should learn martial arts, Deepika replied, “We are talking about self-defence now. Why should it even come to the point that I have to learn to defend myself? All these things are great, but you have to nip it in the bud; that situation itself should not arise.”
User reactions
Several users reacted harshly to Rani’s comments and praised Deepika for her more sensible response. One user said, “Rani has no sense and arguments at all but she keeps babbling her nonsense… The ladies there are so patient because if it was me I would have left.” A second user said, “Rani is completely impractical here. She has no understanding of mental trauma at all and doesn’t know how a minor girl can take responsibility for herself or what happens when a girl is forced to do so by a group or a person who is built stronger than her or a person with a gun?”
“The stupidest and most senseless attitude towards women’s safety ever. Hats off to Deepika and Anushka for not agreeing,” said another. One comment read: “Rani… It’s not the mothers who make these boys. You’re blaming another woman again. You’re asking women to learn martial arts. Are you sure that would protect them from unscrupulous beasts?”
