Any publicity is good publicity, which loosely translates to any form of media coverage, even if it's bad. It could be positive for raising awareness, which adds to the celebrity's fame. Indian celebrities have generally been playing tug of war with this sentence.

There have been instances where celebrities were genuinely going through a rough time. Still, the media languidly termed it publicity, building a narrative for the public that the incident might benefit the one enduring the negative attention.

Turn the pages of history, and you'll find several examples of well-known public figures who were scrutinised by the media for executing commonplace activities that we still do without the flashes in our eyes.

Justice or Publicity?

Tollywood megastar Allu Arjun recently made headlines, less for Pushpa 2's release, and more for his arrest. On December 4, Allu Arjun's surprise visit to the Sandhya Theatre in Hyderabad for the Pushpa 2 screening resulted in an unforeseen stampede, in which a 35-year-old woman died while her young son was admitted to the hospital.

The woman's family lodged a complaint against the Telugu star on charges of culpable homicide not amounting to murder and for voluntarily causing hurt. Allu Arjun called this incident a "character assassination" and described it as an accident. He was released on bail the same day of his arrest and was recently spotted at the Chikkadpally police station for questioning.

The incident is now been called a political slugfest, with CM Revanth Reddy taking up the issue in the Assembly and calling him 'inhuman'. He even added that the actor didn’t care for the woman’s death and continued to be engaged with film-related events. On the other hand, the BJP alleges Congress is targeting him because he refused to campaign for them.

Allu Arjun is being blamed because he is the face of the entire controversy and the media can bank views (and money) on his name without seeing the full picture. Why are people just blaming him? The law should also take into consideration the management or organisers who orchestrated Arjun's visit in such a cramped theatre that unfortunately led to the death of a person and injured many.

The Law is the same for all, or is it?

Even Shah Rukh Khan, reverently known as the Badshah of Bollywood, was indirectly targeted. In his second release of 2023, Jawan, there's a dialogue nearing the climax, "Bete Ko Haath Lagane Se Pehle, Baap Se Baat kar!" The internet is drawing parallels to Shah Rukh's real life when Aryan Khan was arrested in October 2021 for possession of drugs after the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) raided a luxury cruise ship near Mumbai.

Shah Rukh Khan even talked about the incident in The Economics Times, wherein he said "When you think everything is good, and still know it in your heart when everything is good, suddenly out of nowhere, whoom…life may come and hit you."

The investigation into Aryan's non-bailable offence lasted weeks, and he was released on bail. Later, Aryan was cleared of any wrongdoing as the investigating officer, Sameer Wankhede, was accused of asking for a bribe from Shah Rukh.

Despite being the most powerful celebrity in India, SRK followed every procedure required by law and order to the dot and did not make a fuss about it.

Amidst this high-profile drama, people questioned Aryan's upbringing on social media and even blamed SRK for his alleged drug use. There were articles and debates about a criminal issue, which news channels and the media could have overlooked and instead highlighted more pressing matters.

SRK's 2010 interview with DW News anchor Monika Jones about 9/11 attackers' Muslim affiliations has gone viral. He argued that labelling extremists like Jewish, English, American, Hindu, or Muslim causes trouble. He also added that putting bad associations to acts like the German killer or Indian rapist labels the country, nation, or group as wrong. He believes that acts of terror are not good for people and are futile.

Actor Kajol recently made a comment about today's political leaders being uneducated and visionless, which drew ire of the right-wing trollers. She later corrected her statement adding that " we have some great leaders who are guiding the country on the right path."

Right-wing's Intolerance

While attending the Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Awards in 2015, Bollywood perfectionist Aamir Khan gave a statement that he is still paying for. Referring to the rising intolerance in the country, he mentioned his growing alarm over several incidents, even quoting his wife Kiran Rao as saying, "Should we leave the country?" He added support for a move by scientists, writers, and filmmakers, who had received backlash from a section for returning their awards in protest.

The statement reverberated so much that E-retail firm Snpadeal, a former brand ambassador, was also under fire on Twitter by right-wing trolls who implored Indian users to boycott Snapdeal. Khan was eventually replaced by actors Amitabh Bachchan and Priyanka Chopra as brand ambassadors.

Khan's statement also affected his 2022 film Laal Singh Chaddha, which co-starred Kareena Kapoor Khan, which faced a boycott trend on social media before its release. Its OTT release was also a silent affair as none of the stars promoted it.

Rhea Chakraborty's Witch Hunt

Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput died by suicide at his Mumbai residence on June 14, 2020. The media termed it as a murder without any proof or evidence. His tragic end took a disturbing turn when the media vilified the actor’s girlfriend, Rhea Chakraborty.

Rhea was arrested and sent to Byculla jail in connection with the infamous drug case that created an uproar in Bollywood, and the country. The late actor's family also accused Chakraborty of abetment to suicide, theft, cheating, conspiracy, and wrongful confinement, who was his live-in partner.

A CBI probe was ordered and in October 2020, Dr. Sudhir Gupta of AIIMS, leader of the CBI-designated forensic medical team, said, "Sushant death is a case of suicide. Murder is completely ruled out. There were no injuries over the body other than hanging. There were no marks of struggle/scuffle in the body and clothes of the deceased."

The incident took two directions - Rhea was labelled a gold digger by social media and an agenda was created against Bollywood producers and actors, claiming nepotism in the industry drove him to commit suicide. Sushant Singh's death was even used for personal gain by some people.

The investigations into Chakraborty's involvement in Rajput's death have led to a new precedent in news coverage of suicide cases. The Bombay High Court also ruled that a media trial during an ongoing investigation is "contemptuous" and obstructs the administration of justice.

Deepika Padukone: The Perennial Target of Political Controversies

Forbes mentions Deepika Padukone as the highest-paid Indian actress in 2024. She is also the most controversial actress of modern times, be it her dating life, her movie choices, or her presence at the JNU protest in 2020, right-wing trolls don't miss any opportunity to besmirch her.

Who can forget the frivolous and vitriolic campaign against Deepika Padukone in November 2017 for her role in Padmaavat (then called Padmavati)?

While still in the production phase, members of the Karni Sena, an organisation originally formed to demand caste-based reservation for Rajputs in government jobs and education, attacked filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali and vandalized the film's sets in January 2017 because they thought that the film is portraying a love story between Alauddin Khilji and Padmini.

After being in the news for the title, the Central Board of Film Certification advised a few cuts to the film and a change in the film's title, thereby making 'Padmavati' as 'Padmaavat.'

In October 2017, fringe elements, especially the Karni Sena, raised another uproar after the trailer was released. According to Mahipal Singh Makrana, president of the Rajasthan unit of the outfit, Deepika's nose would be chopped off the same way Shurpanakha's was in the Ramayana.

Originally slated to release in December 2017, the film was released in January 2018 and as it turns out, there was no "dream sequence" between Alauddin Khilji and Rani Padmavati in the movie as the fringe elements had stated. Deepika Padukone even commented on the incident saying, "We’ve regressed as a nation".

The film was the third highest-grossing Indian film in 2018 and grossed over ₹571.98 crore at the box office. There were violent protests and riots in several parts of India due to a scene that didn't even exist in the film. There was an outrage over the protests which could have been avoided. There was not a single arrest even when a woman was publically threatened.

On January 7, 2020, Deepika visited the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) campus in Delhi to show solidarity with students who had been attacked. She arrived on campus wearing all black, a symbol of solidarity and stayed for about 10 minutes. She paid her respects to the students and teachers who were victims of the attack. She didn't speak or make any statement but stood in solidarity with the students.

The right-wing trolls viewed Padukone's visit as a promotional stunt for her movie Chhapaal and called for a boycott of Padukone and the film on social media. Many saw the film as a turning point in Padukone's professional and private life, as well as a turning point in how those in authority perceived her. The film was not a hit and was later mired in many controversies.

When Pathaan movie's song 'Besharam Rang' was released in December 2022, a bizarre controversy was created over Deepika's saffron bikini. Many ministers of the current government raised ridiculous and unfounded objections over an unreleased film.

Padukone's latest controversy was her pregnancy, wherein she was constantly trolled online for not looking "pregnant enough." This is clearly a scrutiny for the Piku actress, many equaling her JNU visit as an allegiance to the opposition.

Everything that Deepika does is subject to probe - where she goes, what film she does, or the brands she supports.

Not Just A-Listers

In The Quint's 2020 Films & Politics Roundtable, veteran actress Renuka Shahane mentioned that she is vocal about her political opinion because she isn't an A-lister. Helmer Anubhav Sinha also said that A-listers, like Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, and Aamir Khan cannot speak up because they are in an extremely difficult position and if spoken up, they will be singled out by their religions, purportedly pointing towards right-wing trollers.

Known by the leftists as the patron goddess of being trolled, Swara Bhaskar has been vocal about her political opinions since 2014 even if it meant losing on films and endorsements. She is often trolled for her roles, like Veere Di Wedding, or her support to CAA protests, her support to campaign against the heinous gang-rape and murder of an 8-year-old girl in Kathua, and the latest being her marriage to Fahad Ahmad, a Muslim politician belonging to the NCPSP.

The Baseless Concept of Love Jihad

'Love Jihad' has been the right-wing's favourite unfounded conspiracy theory wrongfully accusing Muslim men of wooing Hindu women to force them to convert to Islam. Even Bollywood isn't spared from this ludicrous theory that has no base.

The January 2015 issue of Durga Vahini’s magazine 'Himalaya Dhwani', a right-wing organisation, featured Kareena Kapoor Khan's photo on the cover. Half of her face was covered in a burqa (an enveloping outer garment predominantly worn by Muslim women), with a slit through which an eye can be seen, while the other half of Kapoor’s face showed the actress with a bindi and vermillion in her hair, a sign of a married Hindu woman.

Durga Vahini is the women’s wing of the right-wing organisation Vishwa Hindu Parishad. Its northern India regional coordinator Rajni Thukral said that the Heroine star was chosen as she is a celebrity and a reference to her marriage to a Muslim was also made. According to her, the youth emulates celebrities, so her marrying a Muslim man can embolden others.

Sonakshi Sinha and her husband Zaheer Iqbal had to turn off their Instagram comments section when they posted their wedding pictures to avoid hate and trolling during the jovial occasion.

Richa Chadha and Ali Fazal's marriage was also mired in controversies. Secretly married during the pandemic in 2020, they broke out the news in 2022, opening doors to trollers tagging it as yet another love jihad setting.

The Takeaway

The one thing that is common between the three "love-jihad" cases is love - they were all love marriages. Time and again it is proved that what matters the most in the world is being kind and showing love towards one another.

But the current state of India is grasping with palpable fear not just amongst the common man, but even the celebrities. It is easier for celebrities to speak about 'Black Lives Matter' or 'MeToo' in Hollywood but the attack on JNU students or the ongoing ethnic violence in Manipur is met with pin-drop silence.

Taylor Swift, Harrison Ford, Beyonce, Chris Evans, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jennifer Lopez, Billie Eilish, Jennifer Aniston, and many more celebrities have openly supported Democratic nominees in the US. The same cannot be said about Indian celebrities who are mum about the ongoing tension in the country.

Before 2014, Bollywood was not affected by political agenda and there was a certain openness in criticising the ruling government. Be it Amitabh Bachchan and Anupam Kher's tweets about the rising petrol prices in 2012 or even Juhi Chawla when she tweeted about the falling rupee in 2013.

The country is now effectively divided into three sections of people - those who are tight-lipped, those who speak up, and those who support the terrifying regime of the ruling party. And it isn't just limited to the common man - even the celebrities who an average Joe can only dream of meeting - are silent on national matters for fear of being termed anti-national.

This is also a time when films like Uri, Article 370, The Sabarmati Report, The Accidental Prime Minister, The Kashmir Files, The Kerala Story, PM Narendra Modi, Emergency and the like celebrate the propaganda of the ruling government, while superstars like Akshay Kumar & the actor-turned-MP Kangana Ranaut are seen promoting the Hindutva agenda.

Many people are of the opinion that cinema shapes our society and that it has inadvertent consequences on the common man, be it the hairstyles, buying a wardrobe that one's beloved celebrity wears, or stalking in movies, while some say cinema is pure entertainment.

If it were just entertainment, right-wing propaganda films wouldn't have existed, which essentially indoctrinates people into believing "facts" that are fiction made to look real.

Bollywood celebrities will always be soft targets, an occupational hazard they are well aware of. But targeting based on religion, partner, sartorial choices, movies or the songs they do is irrational.

The majority of Indians have lost their voice and right to have an opinion due to their willingness to become pawns in the hands of the ruling party. They have stopped standing up for themselves and are now targeted and attacked by brute majoritarianism. Many are talented, hardworking, and highly influential people who impact millions of lives through their characters and work.