Fatima Bhutto slams Indian stars ‘dolled up to celebrate the destruction of Babri Masjid’

In a significant congregation of stars, Indian cinema celebrities, including Amitabh Bachchan, Chiranjeevi, and power couples Alia Bhatt-Ranbir Kapoor and Vicky Kaushal-Katrina Kaif, attended the consecration ceremony of the Ram temple in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh. The event garnered attention and sparked varied reactions, with notable figures from the film industry, such as Rohit Shetty, Rajkumar Hirani, Ayushmann Khurrana, Madhuri Dixit Nene, and producer Mahaveer Jain, participating in the auspicious occasion.

However, the star-studded gathering faced criticism from writer Fatima Bhutto, who took to social media to express her disapproval. Sharing an NDTV article about the celebrity presence at the event, she labelled Bollywood as a “craven industry” and condemned the stars for celebrating the destruction of the Babri Masjid, expressing her disdain for their endorsement of what she deemed “hateful politics” associated with the BJP.

“Bollywood is a craven industry. To see its stars dolled up to celebrate the destruction of the Babri Masjid and clicking selfies to cheer the hateful politics of the BJP is sickening,” shared Fatima Bhutto on the microblogging site formerly known as Twitter.

Hema Malini, Rajinikanth, Pawan Kalyan, Shankar Mahadevan, Madhur Bhandarkar, Subhash Ghai, Shefali Shah, Vipul Shah, Randeep Hooda, Lin Laishram, Aadinath Mangeshkar, Anu Malik, and Sonu Nigam were also in attendance, as per NDTV. Chiranjeevi’s arrival, accompanied by his wife Surekha and son Ram Charan, drew attention, capturing the moment as the RRR star participated in the event. Even those unable to attend in person, such as Akshay Kumar and Tiger Shroff, conveyed their wishes through a video message.

Fatima’s post on X serves as a poignant reminder of the influential role that celebrity endorsements play in shaping public opinion and discourse. Her expression of disapproval highlights the significant impact celebrities can have in spreading messages, whether positive or negative.

In this instance, she underscores the potential misuse of their influence, pointing out the weight celebrities carry in either promoting unity or inadvertently contributing to divisive narratives, particularly when associated with political ideologies. The incident prompts reflection on the responsibility that comes with celebrity status and the potential consequences of aligning with political agendas that may fuel hate or intolerance.