Mumbai, 14 October (H.S.):
Producer Ekta Kapoor has spoken out about the reactions to religious identity and Hindu traditions in Bollywood, questioning why Western customs are often accepted without hesitation while Hindu rituals and mythological narratives sometimes invite objections. Referring to her film ‘The One’, Kapoor questioned why there was so much reluctance to openly discuss Indian folklore and mythological stories. She maintained that these narratives, too, should be embraced as legitimate subjects for entertainment and creative expression.
Recalling her childhood eexperiences,Ekta Kapoor said she was often perceived as unusual and sometimes ridiculed for wearing a tilak and religious threads. She explained that openly expressing her faith and religious identity had not always been easy. According to her, even applying a tilak or observing religious traditions could sometimes become a subject of public discussion and criticism.
Questioning this attitude, Ekta Kapoor asked why anyone should feel uncomfortable about expressing their religious beliefs and practising their faith. Her remarks highlighted the challenges people may face when seeking to openly acknowledge their religious identity in public life.
Ekta Kapoor also recalled an incident in which she was criticised for going to a club after visiting a temple. The episode, she suggested, reflected broader social attitudes towards the perceived relationship between religious devotion and personal choices.
Her comments also drew attention to the hesitation surrounding discussions of Hindu traditions, mythology and Indian folklore in the entertainment industry. She questioned why stories rooted in India's cultural and religious heritage should be treated differently from other narratives used in creative works.
Ekta Kapoor's remarks have once again brought the issues of religious identity, creative freedom and the representation of Indian cultural traditions in the entertainment industry into the spotlight.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar