- Thursday, November 30, 2023
Right before the release of ‘Laal Singh Chaddha,’ Twitter users started trending the hashtag #BoycottLaalSinghChaddha, asking people to not watch the movie.
By: Mohnish Singh
Controversies go synonymous with the Entertainment industry! And 2022 was rather full of them.
Bollywood celebrities are known to get involved in some controversy or another and as mentioned above, this year was no different. As 2022 is coming to an end, we thought of going down memory lane and walking through some of the most talked about controversies of the year.
1. The Boycott trend and its effect on Laal Singh Chaddha
Right before the release of ‘Laal Singh Chaddha,’ Twitter users started trending the hashtag #BoycottLaalSinghChaddha, asking people to not watch the movie. At first, it looked harmless, just a group of trolls creating some hysteria around the film, however, when the film was declared a box office flop, people realised the seriousness.
Some Twitter users went through the archives and dug up Aamir’s controversial “India’s growing intolerance” statement and circulated it on the micro-blogging site. Some of Kareena’s controversial statements from the past have also been surfacing online.
Talking about the controversial statement in question, in 2015, Aamir Khan said in an interview, “Our country is very tolerant, but there are people who spread ill-will”. His wife Kiran Rao also made headlines for saying that she considered leaving the country for the safety of their children.
Eventually, the film failed to make business at the box office.
2. The Kashmir Files vs IFFI jury head Nadav Lapid
The Kashmir Files was screened at the Internation Film Festival of India which was held in Goa last month. However, things turned ugly at the closing ceremony of IFFI (The International Film Festival of India), when the head of Jury Nadav Lapid addressed the audience and called the film “propaganda, vulgar”.
“All of us were disturbed and shocked by the 15th film, The Kashmir Files. That felt like a propaganda, vulgar movie, inappropriate for an artistic competitive section of such a prestigious film festival. I feel totally comfortable openly sharing these feelings here with you at this stage. In the spirit of this festival, we can surely also accept a critical discussion, which is essential for art and life,” said Nadav at the festival’s closing ceremony.
After that, he was slammed by many including director Vivek Agnihotri, who challenged Nadav to prove how the film is factually wrong. He said, “I challenge all these urban Naxals and the legendary filmmaker who came from Israel that if they can prove any single shot, event or dialogue is not completely true, then I will quit filmmaking. Who are these people who stand up against India every time?”
3. Ranveer Singh’s nude photoshoot
Ranveer got embroiled in a controversy after posing nude for a magazine photoshoot earlier this year. An FIR was filed against him post that.
The Mumbai Police filed the FIR under various Sections of the Indian Penal Code like 292 (sale of obscene books, etc), 293 (sale of obscene objects to young people), 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman) and provisions of the Information Technology Act.
Ranveer’s photo shoot images were posted online on July 21. In them, Ranveer was seen wearing no clothes. In one of the images, he was seen lying on a rug naked recreating Burt Reynold’s famous photograph.
4. Jacqueline Fernandez’s link to Conman Sukesh
On August 17, 2022, a supplementary charge sheet filed by the ED in the Rs 200 crore extortion case against conman Sukesh Chandrashekar in a Delhi Court mentioned the name of Jacqueline Fernandez as an accused.
And ever since, the actress has been embroiled in a controversy that refuses to die down.
Jacqueline Fernandez has also been summoned by ED several times in the matter for the purpose of investigation.
The ED’s earlier charge sheet did not mention her name as an accused but mentioned the details of the statement recorded by Bollywood actors Jacqueline Fernandez and Nora Fatehi in the matter.
According to ED’s earlier charge sheet, Bollywood actresses Jacqueline Fernandez and Nora Fatehi the actresses got top models of BMW cars and expensive gifts from the accused Sukesh.
The ED charge sheet clearly stated that “during the investigation, statements of Jacqueline Fernandez were recorded on 30.08.2021 and 20.10.2021 Jacqueline Fernandez stated she received gifts viz three designer bags from Gucci, Chanel, and two Gucci outfits for gym wear. A pair of Louis Vuitton shoes, two pairs of diamond earrings and a bracelet of multi-coloured stones, two Hermes bracelets. She also received a Mini Cooper which she returned.”
“According to ED, Sukesh was confronted with Jacqueline on October 20, 2021. Jacqueline Fernandez stated that Sukash Chandrasekhar had arranged private jet trips and hotel stays on different occasions for herself.”
Jacqueline is currently on bail and conman Sukesh is behind bars. The matter is still being investigated.
5. Liger funding investigation
ED grilled Actor Vijay Deverakonda for more than nine hours in connection with the PMLA case registered after a complaint was filed with the central agency stating that hawala money was invested in the movie ‘Liger’ by a top Telangana Rashtra Samithi leader.
According to sources, Vijay was questioned in a case related to an alleged FEMA (Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999) violation.
Earlier on November 17, ED questioned ‘Liger’ producer Charmme Kaur over an alleged FEMA violation.
‘Liger’ failed to impress the audience and was a box office disaster.
The matter is still being investigated by authorities.
