Deepika Padukone’s open letter on Facebook chastising India’s leading daily Times of India has gotten a response, with the news organisation on Monday calling the Bollywood actress “hypocritical”.
Padukone last Friday lambasted the media group for publishing a tawdry gallery of her, highlighting what she sees as a lack of respect.
In a front-page article in the ToI-owned Bombay Times entitled ‘Dear Deepika, our point of view...’ on Monday, managing editor Priya Gupta alleged Padukone’s actions were a publicity gimmick to promote her new film Finding Fanny.
“Deepika, we accept your reel vs real argument, but what about all the times, and there have been many, when you have flaunted your body off screen — while dancing on stage, posing for magazine covers, or doing photo ops at movie promotional functions? What ‘role’ do you play there? So why the hypocrisy? What’s equally hypocritical is that several media outlets have freely displayed Deepika’s cleavage even as they sounded all outraged on her behalf. Surely they could have reported the story without those pictures?” wrote Gupta.
The response appears to question Padukone’s credibility since she began her career as a “calendar girl” for a liquor brand.
Publicity gimmick?
“This has obviously been great publicity for you, timed perfectly with the release of your new film. The video’s been on YouTube for a year, why object now?” asked Gupta.
She added that Padukone should stop acting like “a moral police”.
“Are we going to have a parallel censor board for pictures of film stars taken off screen but in plain sight of the world, as Deepika’s was? It’s not as if the pictures were shot with hidden cameras, or that someone sneaked into her home, invaded her privacy, and took those pictures without her knowledge/permission,” she added, explaining that sensationalising headlines was a common occurrence in their trade.
When tabloid! contacted Padukone, who is currently in the US on a dance tour to promote her upcoming film with Shah Rukh Khan, Happy New Year, her spokesperson said that the actress was unlikely to comment further.
“We have already said what we wanted to on our Facebook page. Every publication is free to interpret and write what they want. Since our issue was headline/angle of the shoot,” said her publicist in an SMS.
Fraternity support
However, not everyone is willing to let it go. Television presenter Siddharth Basu took to Twitter to express his disgust.
“Doesn’t the shameful attempt at justification remind you of a flasher trying to cover up by smearing the victim? #IStandWithDeepikaPadukone,” tweeted Basu, television producer and director of shows such as Kaun Banega Crorepati, using the hashtag that became a trend on the day Padukone first tweeted her anger about the gallery on September 15.
“How can ToI not tell the difference between someone saying yes, and taking sneak pics and ogling ?! #IStandWithDeepikaPadukone,” he added.
Singer and former actress Suchitra Krishnamoorthy tweeted: “this cleavage fracas. Let it go TOI- it dosent suit ur stature or Deepika’s, Galti ho gayi Ab baat khatam karo [you made a mistake, just settle the matter now]:-).”
Director Mahesh Bhatt, who is credited with women-centric films such as Sadak and Daddy, termed the Padukone vs Times of India debate as an “occupational hazard”.
“The question of media ethics is an ongoing debate of the times we live in ... the media globally has been eroticised. In such a landscape, especially the internet space, it is impossible to grab someone’s attention without being overtly sexual. There’s market for it and there’s somebody to provide it. When you come into the eye of the storm, the personal identity which you have been creating through your hard work has also been partially grafted by the media that you are now at loggerheads with, This particular debate won’t find easy answers,” said Bhatt over telephone.
He added that Padukone’s fight against the Times of India may prove to be an expensive one for the actress.
“You are fighting with the mightiest newspaper organisation in the world. The film industry is dependant on the media house for its survival. It’s mutual gratification,” said Bhatt.
However, director Zoya Akhtar of Zindagi Milegi Na Dobara fame, begs to differ.
“We firmly stand by her. Why would any director boycott her? What’s happening to her is unfair. This is not going to have any impact on her career,” said Akhtar who is currently working on Dil Dhadakne Do.
