Author Shobhaa De did not hold back on Salman Khan's recent social media post for Sonam Wangchuk, calling it "cringe" and a sign that Bollywood's biggest stars are out of touch with the younger generation.
Author and journalist Shobhaa De has taken a shot at Bollywood’s reaction to the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP)-led rallies, asking if the industry’s stars are still in sync with India’s Gen Z. She also slammed Salman Khan's social media post for activist Sonam Wangchuk, calling it "cringe".
Shobhaa De kicks off at Salman Khan
Shobhaa De slammed Bollywood for its response to the demonstrations by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), stating the industry’s greatest stars looked oblivious to Gen Z and didn't know what a youth-led movement was like. She wrote about it in her article published in ThePrint.
In her critique, Shobhaa De targeted Salman Khan’s social media post for activist Sonam Wangchuk and also called out statements by Kangana Ranaut, Hema Malini and Anupam Kher during the present youth-led action. “uncool” and “irrelevant” was the reaction from Bollywood, she said.
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Talking about Salman’s post, Shobhaa commented, “Ditto with Salman Khan. Calling Sonam Wangchuk ‘Bro’ and offering him a home-cooked meal from the Khan kitchen to break his fast attracted widespread derision, not praise… Maybe Salman thought he was being ‘cool’. But Gen Z rewrote the definition of ‘cool’. And this cringe message was anything but.
"Salman is not the only star who appears out of sync with young Indians. Several film stars decided to speak only after they felt it was politically safe to do so," she added.
Shobhaa commented, “Bollywood has never looked this ‘uncool’. This irrelevant. Especially those stars who jumped in with inane ChatGPT-scripted posts once they had apparently received the green signal from their political patrons. The very stars whose box-office fortunes depend on Young India suddenly woke up, only to be met with mockery. Senior Aunty and Uncle stars such as Hema Malini and Anupam Kher added insult to injury, while Kangana Ranaut—just this side of ‘Aunty’ status—lost the few Gen Z fans she still possessed with her tasteless remarks. I call them ‘Generation Gutter’... The thing to understand is this: Gen Z does not need celebrity endorsements or heroes. It’s the reverse. Celebrities need Gen Z. This is a generation that marches, sings and dances to its own unique beat.”
What Salman Khan wrote
Superstar Salman Khan was among the first prominent Bollywood celebrities to show his support for the CJP-led demonstrations against the suspected NEET-UG paper leak. Earlier this month, he sent a letter on Instagram in support of the students protesting at CJP when the rally became violent following a police lathi charge. It was such a nice movement, feel so terrible that it had to take a violent turn,” He wrote, “It was such a peaceful movement, feel so sad that it had to take a violent turn. My heart goes out to the students and their families who were hurt. Paper leak is a very serious issue, and I am glad to know n see that the kids of our country have come together for a better educational system, and their parents supported them.”
Later he posted another asking Sonam Wangchuk to give up his hunger strike. “The students are at top priority, educationally n security-wise, so they need not worry and have their parents worried for them,” Salman wrote, “The students are at top priority, educationally n security-wise, so they need not worry and have their parents worried for them. The Honorable Prime Minister has tweeted, and I am sure that he will take strict action against all those people who are responsible for this leak. So students, plz go back to your parents n homes.”
Speaking about the hunger strike, Salman said, “Sonam, it’s done, bro. Don’t overdo this. Eat something and save your soul for another day if there be need, which I doubt. "Will send u food from home if u want"
Sonam Wangchuk was hospitalised in a private hospital on July 21, a day after the ‘Sansad Chalo’ march in Delhi. He was picked up from the Jantar Mantar protest location on July 18 and was transferred to Safdarjung Hospital in Delhi where he was confined for three days. He headed the 26-day-long hunger strike at Jantar Mantar over the NEET paper leak, seeking the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan and changes in the education system as large. He broke his fast on July 24, a day before Pradhan resigned.
