Sonakshi Sinha has blocked Sona Mohapatra on Twitter after the singer criticised her for being "condescending" to musicians, who had expressed displeasure over the news of the star's performance at the Justin Bieber concert in Mumbai.
There were reports that Sonakshi, who has sung in some Bollywood movies, was going to be the opening act at Bieber's gig, which was criticised by singers Kailash Kher and Armaan Malik. They claimed that the opportunity should have gone to a professional singer and not a Bollywood star.
The actress, however, clarified that though she was approached by the concert organisers, she was not performing at the event.
Sonakshi responded to the criticism, saying she was an "actor who loves music, who loves to perform and who loves to sing. and if anyone has a problem with that, they can go 'love' themselves."
Reacting to Sonakshi's statement, Sona tweeted, "Dear Sonakshi, if you weren't 'performing' at the Bieber concert like you now proclaim, then you could have just said so and not talked about your 'art', your 'dreams' and your rights on the live performance stage."
Sona said it was not good on the star's part to insult composers and singers who she claimed ran after her to 'collaborate' with them. "You actually laughed at them and talked down to them, instead of telling the truth? Gracious!"
"Dear lady, you were condescending to real musicians and singers all through and continue to be with this juvenile 'face saving' post now. SAD," the singer tweeted.
Sona then shared a screen shot which showed that the actress had blocked the singer from her Twitter feed. "Hahahaha! Not that I'd ever followed this bundle of talent, grace & intelligence."
The singer signed off with a post on Instagram, saying the actress "won't be the opening act for any music concert in a hurry and will stick to the lip-sync dance routines in TV award shows for now."
The actress defended her claim that acting demands more than desk jobs in a recent interview.
She said office workers can "chill out" during work hours, unlike film stars.
Fans and working professionals called her comments privileged and out of touch.
The backlash started after her appearance on Amazon Prime's Two Much with Kajol & Twinkle.
Critics pointed out the financial gap and support systems actors have compared to regular employees.
Kajol probably didn't expect this reaction when she sat down with Twinkle Khanna on Two Much. But her comments about actors working harder than people with 9-to-5 jobs have blown up, and not in a good way.
Fans slam Kajol after she says actors work harder than regular employees sparking online outrage Getty Images
The comments that started it all
Kajol was speaking out about her earlier comments on Two Much with Kajol & Twinkle on Amazon Prime, where she said actors work harder than most people. This time she was explaining why she thinks that.
She told The Hollywood Reporter India that her days are full of shoots, events, and very early flights. One day involved waking at 5 AM to catch a flight to Jaipur for a 3 PM event.
But it was her take on regular jobs that got people talking. She claimed desk workers don't need to be "100% present" and can take breaks, "chill out," and relax while working. She kept coming back to the unending scrutiny actors face like the feeling of always being watched or something as simple as how you cross your legs or who's snapping a picture in the background becomes a constant calculation. You have to be switched on, she insisted, all the time.
The internet, frankly, was having none of it. YouTube and Reddit exploded with responses. "For the kind of remuneration actors are paid, they shouldn't have a problem working 12 hours a day for 4 days a week," one user wrote. Another pointed out that films typically take 3-4 months to shoot, while regular jobs run year-round.
The responses got more pointed. "Vanity mein naps or massages bhi toh hum lete hain," a Reddit user commented, referencing the comfort of vanity vans. Someone else joked: "If you work poorly, you get fired. If you act poorly, you get a Filmfare award."
The bluntest response yet? "Respectfully, Kajol, shut up."
Nobody denies acting is demanding. Long hours, public pressure, and constant judgement are very real. But comparing it to regular employment ignores some major differences.
Most people work 12 months a year with two weeks' holiday if they're lucky. They don't have spot boys fetching drinks or vanity vans for rest breaks. One netizen nailed it: "A working parent's schedule is continuous, every single day, with no wrap-up party or off-season."
Online erupts as Kajol defends claim that acting demands more than everyday 9-to-5 workGetty Images
There's also the money. While her fee for a single film is probably more than most people earn in a year, she says that doesn’t make the work easy. Still, it does provide a comfort that regular employees don’t have. Kajol has not yet replied to the backlash.
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