The Entertainment Journalists Guild has boycotted actor Kangana Ranaut for lashing out at a journalist during a press meet for her new movie Judgmentall Hai Kya. The Press Club of India has backed the guild’s decision.
Kangana Ranaut, however, has refused to apologise to the journalist.
ThePrint asks: Is Indian media being unfair to Kangana Ranaut?
In a film industry that worships commercial success, Kangana Ranaut doesn’t need anything else
Kaveree Bamzai
Senior Journalist
Kangana Ranaut has requested a section of the media she considers “deshdrohis” and “bikau” to ban her. They should listen to her. Stars such as Amitabh Bachchan and Salman Khan have survived for many years despite having inimical relations with the media. By all accounts, so can she.
She is talented, works hard, and has legions of fans who are eager to see her onscreen. In a film industry that worships commercial success, she doesn’t need anything else. She also has a fierce sister-protector who refuses to let anyone get away with less-than-complete acknowledgement of her work.
If her films are good, they will work at the box office. If they are not, they won’t. She doesn’t need to manufacture an enemy to blame and the media is quite within its rights to protest against her description of them and her doubting of their motives.
There are enough alternative avenues in the age of social media for both of them to communicate their viewpoints about each other directly to the movie-watching audience. In what is likely to be a long career for both Kangana Ranaut and her critics, they may well be friends again.
Like a politician, Kangana Ranaut has mastered the art of becoming the story by generating controversy
Shivam Vij
Contributing editor, ThePrint
The Indian media is being very unfair to Kangana Ranaut. The fair treatment to a publicity-monger like her is to ignore her. That would be fair. Who’s Kangana Ranaut? Why is this B-grade actor getting the mileage she wants from the media by creating a controversy before every film?
Like a politician, Kangana Ranaut has mastered the art of becoming the story by generating controversy. Also, Kangana Ranaut fills your mind-space and you’re compelled to learn about her upcoming film. The peak of Kangana’s career was the 2014 film Queen. She has had no great film since then. Kangana thinks she can get people talking about her films by talking about her. She’s wrong.
In the months and years to come, Kangana will create even more controversy. Since her acting career is going nowhere, she has two options. She could join politics, or she could become Rakhi Sawant (no offence meant to Rakhi Sawant, who is more honest to herself than Kangana). Regardless of the option she chooses, the media will continue to be more than fair to her, dancing to her tune, giving her the headline-attention she seeks.
Kangana has already become the celebrity who’s known not for her films but for being Kangana, and this could not have happened without the media.
Also read: Kangana Ranaut & Anupam Kher target liberals, but their patriotic act falls flat
Boycotting Kangana Ranaut may be a bit harsh but she fully deserves the backlash
Madhavi Pothukuchi
Senior web editor, ThePrint
Kangana Ranaut seems to have descended into sensationalising herself for no good reason. The video of her spat with a journalist clearly shows that she started the fight — by accusing the journalist of running “a smear campaign” over criticisms of her film Manikarnika. Now, after offending the journalist, she has decided to attack the entire media industry. Again, for no good reason.
This is a sad state of affairs, given how Kangana Ranaut used to draw a lot of support for saying and doing all the right things in an industry that rarely stands up for a cause. She shook things up for the fraternity that is so congealed in its toxic ways.
But now, Kangana Ranaut appears to have turned into a caricature of herself. Boycotting her may be a little harsh, but the backlash is deserved and, in a way, predictable.
The media is generally penalised (and rightly so, in some cases) for many things. But this kind of senseless attack on a journalist doing his job is a little out of order. It does deserve to be addressed, as it is common for Bollywood to slam the media whenever it’s convenient.
Also read: Kangana Ranaut is Ms Bharat on the warpath, with cow and contempt in her armour
Kangana Ranaut calling journalists ‘anti-national’ is symptomatic of the times
Shauryavardhan Sharma
Intern, ThePrint
Brow-beating a journalist, who is asking valid questions, by shouting him down and trying to pass off your own version of events as the only ‘truth’ is symptomatic of the current times.
When Kangana Ranaut calls a section of media ‘anti-national’, which is threatening to destroy the social and cultural fabric of India, she is only following the larger political trend of labeling any dissent or uncomfortable question as ‘anti-national’.
In the last few years, media-bashing has become everyone’s favourite hobby, and unfortunately, a large section of the media hasn’t resisted it.
This time, however, the Indian media has put up a united front and called out the rude behaviour of Kangana Ranaut. I am more than willing to support a boycott of the actor.
One hopes Kangana Ranaut directs a bit of her energy towards calling out the real ‘professional trolls’. That would be a welcome change.
She is an arrogant and ignorant person. She uses marketing gimmicks to promote her movies and remain in media and public circle. She always makes sure to create some controversies when her films are about to release, to create hype and attract the public. Of course, she did some good movies but it doesn’t mean that she can think herself of a Queen of Bollywood. I believe no celebrity should be celebrated as a God, we should get influenced by their opinions and judgments. We should listen carefully to them and judge their agenda and personal gain if any.
Kangana is B grade actress? Are you nuts? Before writing this type of review you need a proper mental checkup. You reminding me Trump who said, Meryl is an overrated actress.
I can only imagine what kind of reviews you journalists are going to give to her movie if you can call her a B grade actor after she having won 3 national awards. I wonder what you call other actors who have won 0 national awards.
We need more people like Kangana – fearless voices of dissent that make everyone uncomfortable. because they say things no one has the balls to bring up. Also, do a bit of research… the journalist (Justin Rao) shamelessly lied about never tweeting about Manikarnika. Screenshots of his unsavory and biased tweets about Kangana are flooding the internet. All these journalists bashing her – would you not confront someone who’s publicly bashing you over and over and over for no apparent reason on social media? I do not think Kangana is the greatest actor in Bollywood but I’d rather young girls of this country learn a thing or two from her rather than talentless brood of Bollywood royalty who got a free pass in the industry. Yes I’m talking about the short-wearing, Bastian loving, gym-frequenting bimbos aka Jahnavi, Sara, Ananya, Tara, Kiara, Disha and the like!
The first journalist makes sense. All other stupid journos, if you intension is to Boycott Kangna, why dont you shut your mouth, but keep writing on her? Coverage for her or yourself? She is a force to reckon with! and truth will be quite inconvenient! Better learn to deal with it!
Note for those who dint see the video- she was calm and composed with journalist, and it was the journalists who shouted as if it was a market
Wait – so the journalists can ask Kangana’s producers at the event if she was really mental to work with but when it comes to Kangana questioning a journalist – all hell has broken loose? Hypocrisy at its finest. The “press” is not fooling anyone here. They can headline articles by saying “Kangana launches attack on the media” and anyone with half a brain can see that you are trying to tell people what to think. Anyone who has actually seen the video can see that Kangana is only questioning the journalist (is she harsh on the questioning, definitely yes) but it is more members of the media always launching an attack on her, asking provocative questions to her by trying to belittle her etc. They are ALWAYS questioning her on idiotic things from does she do black magic to is she mental etc. etc. The only difference is that Kangana has bigger balls than any of these flimsy so-called “journalists”. Is the media being unfair – YES!
Shame on this type of biased journalism. Mr. Shivam please do your research work before writing shit about a national award winning actress. We are now fully convinced that you people are running a smear campaign against her.
Third rated journalist Shiam Vij, calling Kangana a B grade. If it do burns, apply burnol buddy. She earns better pay check for her quality acting than your stupid writing.
A 3 time national award winner, the highest paid female actor in the history of Indian cinema, one with most number of self-driven hits and an actor class apart is still in need for an A-grade validation from men is itself so so telling. It reflects the gender power differential in this entire discourse of this story. Not just from these journos but also from the journo who she spoke fairly politely to despite him writing troll-like things for her.
Kangana slept her way to the top, whether Aditya P at the start of her career or Ajay D later, yes there were movies like Queen, but not many movies of hers are all doing as well as should be. She is not respected like many new generation actresses, she evokes more fear than respect.
Lol moron !!!
Do you think the other so called top A grade actresses didn’t sleep their way to the top !!!!
Difference is Kangana is way more talented then the combined talents of the rest of Bollywood heroines !!!
Shame that she had to go through so much to get roles in Bollywood !!!
She is indeed a rare talent !!!
Actresses like Alia, Deepika Kareena etc are mediocre actresses !! Just props for the Male stars!!
‘ B grade actress ‘ ? A three time national award winner actress !!! Wow Vij what are you ? C grade journalist , a zero grade male , and a D grade human being ? Journalists like you have taken the noble profession to the dogs
Journos calm down, why do you think she was talking about you?? She was calling out 3-4 bullies only. You call her names and b-grade without boycotts? Are you kangaroo courts?
Shivam, FYI after queen Kangna’s manikarnika earned some 150 crore. What shit do you smoke dude. Seriously no hit after queen ?
She d’t deserve to be in bollywood.. Very uncultured, uncivilised person alwys creating controversies at d time of her movie release. She even d’nt know that a certain qualification is required to become a jorno. BOYCOTT KANGANA FOR EVER.
She is B-grade and an excellent actress.
Why should a person answer questions for a journalist who keep on bullying her online, proof of which has been shared ? Why are the journalists not calling Justin out as well ? Why are good journalists getting butt-hurt along-with the bad ones? She targeted a certain section of media, not all the media.
B-Grade actress ? SEREIOUSLY ? A 3 time national awardee? Ajay Devgan, Om Puri, Naseeruddin Shah all have less than 2 national awards ! They are also B Grade ?
I am sure the honour presented annually at the National Film Awards of India instituted since 1967 to actors who have delivered the best performance in a leading role within the Indian film industry is not B-Grade actress.
Exactly! These spineless journos deserve to bootlick uncultured Khans. Kangana doesn’t give a shit! She says it like it is….ban or not, she will not be bullied into silence!
There could be nothing more peaceful, Gandhian than a boycott of someone who crosses the line, which the pretty lady certainly has. After the release of Queen, AB sent KR a bouquet with a warm congratulatory note. Recognition / reciprocity from someone who made it to the top of the film industry on the strength of his talent and charisma, which so many star children fail to do. A diva’s personal life, her relationships, other entanglements are largely the result of her own choices. Once so eone crosses the moat – 99.9999% fail – enter the castle and have fun. Don’t carry so many chips on your shoulder. 2. People in public life and the media need each other. Over several years, with a changing cast of characters, one has seen journalists badger a personage as he exits a government building and heads to his car. With great reluctance, he lowers the window a few inches, and speaks a few words. Does not acknowledge a working person who has been waiting in the sun, without water or a restroom break, for hours. If the media is not welcone, wonderful. Aap apni publicity khud kar lijiye. You have millions of followers on Twitter, tell them your fairy tales.
Kangana has achieved more than those who allege she is b-grade. She is the highest paid actress by a mile, has most number of female actor-driven hits and a winner of 3 national awards at 32, deserves another one this year. That makes her one of the most successful actors in the history of Indian cinema. And we are not even talking about her extraordinary journey.
This is really surprising coming from a group of journalists who campaigned for her, when she took on anybody else. It was ok to report her insults and all the things she had to say about anybody else. But when she has turned her attention onto the media it has drawn lines. The media should know better to report all the trash talk and later cry foul over the fact that they were trash talked. And I am not a fan of Kangana but am sure that being an actor does not depend on your paycheck but your acting skills. So it would be wrong to suggest that she with such a tremendous skill set is a B grade actress.
This. They created this Bhasmasura. Now run