The life and achievements of Bhatt, one of India’s leading actors, have been well-documented on social media. (Photo: Instagram/ Alia Bhatt)
A few days ago, Alia Bhatt snapped and decided to send out the message that “enough is enough”. “Let’s take a minute to address the absurd lens through which women are judged and objectified on the internet — our faces, bodies, personal lives, even our bumps (!!!) are up for critique. We should be celebrating individuality, not tearing it apart under a microscope. These types of judgements perpetuate unrealistic standards, making people feel like they’re never ‘enough’. It’s damaging, and it’s exhausting,” wrote the actor in a long social media post. She was reacting to the memes and videos of her “crooked smile”, with many speculating that it had been caused by cosmetic surgery or botox treatment gone wrong.
The life and achievements of Bhatt, one of India’s leading actors, have been well-documented on social media — details about how her husband, actor Ranbir Kapoor, proposed to her during a trip to Masai Mara, can be found alongside coverage of her debut at the Paris Fashion Week and the filming of her next project, Alpha, in Kashmir. It is routine for most celebrities to share tidbits about their lives on public platforms, the idea being that any likes and views that are generated will only add to the public interest and boost their stardom. That apart, paparazzi too post updates about them and their appearances contributing to the celebrity “content” pool that fans and followers obsessively lap up. And, it’s no longer a secret that the stars themselves seek the services of paps to up their publicity game.
However, as a society, we tend to malign the same personalities that we are obsessed with. While the public scrutiny of the appearance and private lives of celebrities is not new, social media and other digital platforms have ensured that such scrutiny is enhanced manifold. They have also created space for inconsiderate and obnoxious comments, alongside the praise that is lavished on celebrities. In this time of crafted image and branding exercises too much power is ceded to digital creators and internet users. This, undeniably, makes digital platforms a double-edged sword. As Kajol, who described trolling as “horrible” said in a recent conversation with The Indian Express, “when people love you that much, they also feel that they have the right to hate you that much”.
It may seem uncharacteristic of Bhatt, but this was not the first time she has spoken out against the overactive grapevine. Though trolls have not spared male celebrities — Ranveer Singh and Babil Khan have been judged for their clothes — women are especially prone to being scrutinised for their body and looks. While producer-actor Deepika Padukone’s pregnancy bump was dismissed as fake for months, ageist comments have been made about Kareena Kapoor Khan. Young actors like Janhvi Kapoor have objected to unflattering videos taken of their bodies while Ananya Pandey has expressed her displeasure over her private life being discussed more than her work.
For online commenters, the personal lives of female stars offer more grist for the gossip mills. No wonder the paparazzi or entertainment handles on social media try to gain traction by posting more photos and videos about them as compared to their male counterparts. Such fascination is understandable. Women celebrities offer a peek into the world of glamour, fashion as well as project a more alluring lifestyle. Shraddha Kapoor has almost double the number of followers on Instagram at 93.8 million compared to Shah Rukh Khan (47.8 million). Often, however, the internet chatter turns unsavoury when the focus shifts to their body or relationships. Or, both. In recent times, we have seen Aishwarya Rai Bachchan being subjected to this.
Women celebrities have impossible beauty standards to live up to. Former beauty queen Aishwarya Rai Bachchan has been dealing with it for years. Recently, Nayanthara brushed off rumours about having surgical procedures done on her face, during an interview with Hauterrfly. She spoke about her love for doing her eyebrows and going through different “brow phases over the years”, which could be the reason why her appearance keeps changing.
Digital platforms have blurred the boundary that helped the stars keep their distance. So, who will ensure that their fans and followers don’t cross the line? As Bhatt has shown, celebrities will need to take the lead in this matter. They already have the platform and reach to make their views known. Celebrities need to speak up when facts are misrepresented or slanderous statements are made. While digital platforms too should take the onus and contain negativity, when they fail — as they often have — it is up to the stars to step in periodically and draw the line.
alaka.sahani@expressindia.com
© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd
First uploaded on: 04-11-2024 at 16:00 IST
