Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan along with Amitabh Bachchan on Thursday inaugurated the 28th Kolkata International Film Festival. Speaking a word at the occasion, SRK, who is anticipating the release of Pathaan, addressed the unfriendly effects of socia media and the negativity that spreads in the public eye through its platforms. Since Pathaan’s song “Besharam Rang” was out, the hashtag ‘Boycott Pathaan’ has been on continuous trend on Twitter.
Netizens via their social media accounts have been continuously voicing out objections against the green and saffron costumes of SRK and Deepika Padukone in the song. Some are even coming out with SRK’s old videos demanding boycott for his upcoming Pathaan.
While, at KIFF also SRK without particularly stressing upon the social media reactions said, “Cinema and advent of articulation through social media platforms have now become the foremost expression of human emotions and experience. The collective narrative of our times is shaped by social media and contrary to the belief that the spread of social media will affect the cinema negatively, I believe cinema has an even more important role to play now.”
He said that social media is being driven by “narrowness of views” adding “I read somewhere negativity increases social media consumption and thereby increases its commercial value as well. Such pursuits enclose the collective narrative, making it divisive and destructive.”
Calling it the most crucial medium in the present situation, the superstar further said, “Cinema exposes the vulnerability of human nature by telling stories in their simplest form, as they are lived. It allows us to know each other better. In a way, it is best placed to sustain a collective counter-narrative that speaks to the larger nature of humankind, a narrative that brings to the fore that humanity has an immense capacity for compassion, unity and brotherhood.”
Currently, the need of the hours is to create a better surviving world for the future generation, he said. “Meeting the world at the world of cinema is the call of the day. Not just meeting, but also using the power of cinema as a vehicle for people of different cultures, colours, castes and religions to better understand each other. Through endeavours like KIFF, the endeavour is to build new platforms to break existing prejudices. Let’s come together and build a better world for our future generation through the medium of cinema,” said the bollywood king.
“No matter what the world does, people like us will stay positive, ” he said in his concluding remarks.
With a witty smile before the speech SRK began his address to the crowd in Bengali and even called Mr Bachchan the ‘son-in-law’ of the city. “Firstly, it’s great to be in Kolkata, it’s great to see Didi, Dada, the beloved son-in-law of Kolkata, Amitabh Bachchan, Jaya aunty here. We haven’t met for a long time. I am so happy to see my dear Rani… But I am the most excited to see you all. I haven’t been here for a couple of years.” said SRK at the beginning.
The superstar will now be seen for the promotion of his upcoming film Pathaan at FIFA World Cup final between France and Argentina.
