Does it make sense for an established actor from Bollywood to suddenly begin parroting the lines taken by India’s right-wing? No, right? Why would any actor do so, and in fact, overstep in her right-wing activism? Kangana Ranaut is the actor I am talking about. She emerged as a superstar for India’s right-wing ecosystem out of the blue and went on to become a darling of this side of the political spectrum.
I could sense, something was amiss but I thought “Perhaps I was wrong”, which is why I kept silent. It was, in all likelihood, the cynic in me seeking to discount Kangana Ranaut’s contributions to the proverbial conservative ecosystem in India, which is still in its nascent stage.
Kangana Ranaut presented herself as the champion of the right-wing. Her fan base grew dramatically, and she became a voice which could simply not be ignored. Why? Because India’s right-wing was willing to hear her. She had gotten an audience that looked forward to her opinions on various issues. In more ways than one, she became a leading spokesperson for Indian conservatives.
All Comes Undone
Guess who has won Kangana Ranaut’s show Lock Upp? Munawar Faruqui. Lock Upp was a reality show in which competitors had to perform challenging activities, fight in spectacular battles, and reveal their darkest secrets. The show environment was set up to represent a jail, and ‘inmates’ had to overcome obstacles in order to be safe.
After being announced as the winner of the show by Ranaut, Munawar Faruqui bagged a Rs 20 lakh cash prize, a trophy and a brand-new car. Additionally, he has also been gifted a fully-paid holiday to Italy.
Just to brush up your memory, Munawar Faruqui is the same man who cracked anti-Hindu jokes, ridiculed Hindu deities and made derogatory comments on the Godhra riots. Following his distasteful comments, Faruqui’s career was over. Twelve shows of Faruqui were cancelled within two months and he was lodged in an actual jail. After several attempts to fight the cancellation by Hindu activists, Munawar Faruqui had opted to say a tactical goodbye to his comedy career.
Kangana Gives Faruqui a New Lease on Life
Guess who jumped in and saved Munawar Faruqui’s drowning career? None other than the so-called ‘Hindu Sherni’ – Kangana Ranaut. Many thought that Kangana brought Munawar into the show only because she wanted to roast him on a daily basis. But the vile, Hinduphobic man now winning the show casts a shadow on Kangana Ranaut’s journey as a leading public voice over the past two years.
Kangana Ranaut betrayed the cause she once claimed to champion
Kangana Ranaut is well on the path of saying goodbye to the values that she until recently stood for. The right-wing in India dutifully shared her posts, wrote articles in support of her and magnified her voice. However, her latest actions show that she has begun betraying the cause she once claimed to champion.
Read more: Kangana Ranaut has effectively whitewashed and mainstreamed Munawar Faruqui
The lesson for Indian conservatives is out there, waiting to be learnt. One must be able to differentiate between those really committed to the ideology, and those pretending to align with it only to score personal successes and fandom. Opportunists and charlatans must be sidelined. They will serve no purpose but their own. Kangana Ranaut appears to be one such charlatan and an opportunist who was using the right-wing for her own gains. But I am hoping to be proved wrong.
