Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar faces condemnation after he defended his anti-Pakistan movie ‘Bell Bottom’ at the Red Sea International Film Festival in Saudi Arabia.
Pakistani fan asked Akshay Kumar about his stance on the negative portrayal of Pakistan in Bollywood movies. His response has left Pakistanis red-faced. The social media users are not happy with the response given by Akshay Kumar to the question.
“I have a request as you’re doing fantastic movies [such as] Pad Man and Toilet, all these movies that are bringing knowledge to people [and] solving daily routine issues,” he said.“ There’s an issue between India and Pakistan as well, when there’s a cricket match happening, it seems like there’s a war somewhere happening.
“So why don’t you, instead of making a movie [such as] your recent movie, Bell Bottom, that has certain things against Pakistan, why can’t we just, both countries they’ve separated but they’re not able to” his question was cut short by the Ram Setu actor who was quick to respond with, “Sir, it’s just a movie. Don’t get so serious about it, it’s just a movie.”
View this post on Instagram
Netizens are not satisfied with the non-serious response of Akshay Kumar. Pakistani social media users said that these things should be taken seriously as such film contributes to the vilification of certain groups and may harbor negative sentiments against a country. Some argued that cinema has the power to transform the opinions of people. By giving a certain message, films contribute to promoting propaganda. Hence, these things should not be taken lightly.
Read more: Mahira Khan rubs shoulder with Hrithik Roshan
Others said that when such prominent actors associated themselves with certain notions, stereotypes, or narratives the message further penetrates the minds of the viewers and listeners. People demand that Bollywood actors should be mindful of the influence they have on the masses and their viewership across the globe.