Chennai, July 22 (IANS) Even as he pointed out that visuals of police brutality against young people in New Delhi trying to make their voices heard had left one completely heavy-hearted, actor Kalidas Jayaram has sought to highlight the catch 22 situation that celebrities find themselves in, saying that when anyone with a public profile spoke up, or chose not to, it was a lose-lose situation.
Taking to his Instagram page to pen his thoughts on the issue, he wrote, “Why is the expectation always that silence equals indifference? Watching what’s unfolding with the students in Delhi right now is heavy. But the moment anyone with a public profile speaks up, or chooses not to, it’s a lose-lose. You get targeted, torn apart, and handed a heavy dose of backlash no matter what you say.”
He went on to point out, “If staying quiet brings heat, speaking your truth just invites a wildfire. Why voice an opinion when the reaction is never really about the issue, but just another excuse for a trial by social media?”
“And honestly, since when did an actor’s opinion become so universally necessary anyway? Why are we giving celebrity commentary more weight and importance than what’s actually needed, treating a film set like a sounding board while the real voices on the ground get drowned out?” he asked.
He concluded the post saying, “With all that being said, seeing visuals of police brutality against young people trying to make their voices heard leaves you completely heavy-hearted. Standing by and watching this happen is deeply painful.”
Actress Manjima Mohan too expressed similar thoughts. Taking to her Instagram page to pen her thoughts, she said, “To be honest, having an opinion and speaking up in this country feels like one of the scariest things to do. But what’s even scarier is staying silent looking at unfairness and convincing ourselves it’s ‘not our problem.'”
She went on to say, “I’ll admit I was one of those people before and I am not proud of it. But the past few days changed that. As long as I live in this country, it is my responsibility to speak up. If we don’t demand accountability now we lose the right to complain later.”
–IANS
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