‘Why can’t actors be considered serious?’

[1]

After getting dragged into multiple controversies, Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan has declared that he doesn’t want to speak on serious subjects like politics and religion. “I’m an actor. You speak to me about my films. You want to speak about serious issues, you get some serious people — not actor and actresses,” Khan said in a recent interview. These days we see actors addressing students at educational institutions or being a part of discussion panels. Are they fit to talk on serious issues there? They are, say city intellectuals.
Ad filmmaker Prahlad Kakkar feels actors are as intelligent as any intellectual. “Why can’t actors be considered serious? They are human beings like us and are free to keep opinions and share them. Just like the general public and the intelligent people, they are sensitive to situations and understand what goes on in the society. Majority of them have been through a struggle period and know what real life is. They can very well speak their mind,” says Kakkar.
Author Bhaichand Patel says, “Actors are better than people like Baba Ramdev to talk on serious issues. If they can work in an issue-related film, they know what real issues are. And just like us, they all are learned people and do not talk nonsense like some of our politicians. Look at Kajol, she reads all the time and is well versed with everything. Amitabh Bachchan’s life is an example of struggle, success and how to behave. He is a true icon to talk on these issues. Then you have the likes of Javed Akhtar and Shabana Azmi who are involved with so many causes. Just that, the hype and tamasha around them should be avoided.”
Writer Advaita Kala feels that people should be more tolerant of opinions. “It’s a free world and like everyone else, actors have the liberty to share their opinion. The only problem is at times what they say is taken out of context and takes away the seriousness of the whole issue. The growing intolerance is the sole reason why many have stopped being honest with their opinions. People should understand that being in a public profession, they are still private people and have their intellect and opinion. Taking offense is not the correct way to deal with things,” she says.
However, image guru Dilip Cherian differs and says actors play a pre-written role. “I don’t think actors are the right people to talk at educational institutions. After all, being an actor they are playing a certain role written by somebody else and just delivering the message the director wants them to. They merely do lip service without giving an honest opinion. I won’t say they are dumb; they are well informed and bright, but still there are many issues they are not fit to talk about. If an actor talks about something like infant mortality rate or women’s safety, chances are they are not well aware of the intricacies. In my opinion, we as Indians are myth-creating people who weave myth around our actors and then believe what they say,” he concludes.