On Sunday, February 23, actress Kangana Ranaut shared a series of notes on her Instagram story, criticizing films that, according to her, promote divorce. While she did not mention any specific film, her comments sparked discussions among netizens, who speculated that she was addressing the ongoing debate around a recent release, ‘Mrs,’ starring Sanya Malhotra, reports Bollywoodhungama.com
The film in question, which features a protagonist navigating a difficult marriage, has received support from many Indian women for highlighting patriarchal norms. However, Kangana expressed concern that such narratives could negatively influence societal perceptions of marriage. Her remarks did not sit well with a section of the internet, leading to backlash on social media platforms.
Several users called out the actress for what they perceived as hypocrisy, questioning her stance on marriage and traditional values. One Reddit user commented, “Why doesn’t she get married, have kids, take care of her parents, cook, and not eat out… set an example and fulfill her dharma?” Another user drew parallels between Kangana’s criticism and her past remarks about fellow actresses, stating, “She is just scared that another curly-haired girl will usurp the throne. She did the same to Taapsee and now Sanya.”
“Growing up, I never saw a woman who didn’t command her household, ordered everyone when to eat, when to sleep, and when to go out, asked her husband about every penny that he spent, and he was obligated. Only conflicts were his boys outings and frequent drinking evenings with friends. Whenever Papa wanted to eat out with us, she scolded us all because cooking for us was her joy. This way, she could control many things, including the hygiene/the nutrition of the food. Elderly folks worked as nannies to her kids and emotional support systems. Women of the house, dadi, mumma, and chachi, are our ultimate queens, and we hope to be like them. Of course there can be cases of devaluing women, but let’s stop generalizing Indian joint families and demonizing elderly people. Also, let’s stop comparing women of the house with paid labor,” Kangana’s first note on her Instagram story read.
She further wrote, “Please understand marriages are not for attention-seeking or validation; they are for the best interest of those who are vulnerable; they are essentially for the elderly and the newborns; both are helpless; that is what shastras say; our parents did everything for us and their elders but never questioned anything; they simply did. Too many Bollywood love stories have distorted the ideas of marriages. Marriages should be how they have always been in this country; they always had a purpose, and the purpose was Dharma, which essentially means duty. That’s it, do your duty and move on; life is too short and fast; if you try to get too much validation or footage, you will end up alone with your therapist.”.
“Shastras say there is no joy in other human beings; there is no joy in success, wealth, marriage/in being single, or in any other worldly pleasure; they never said these things can satisfy a human being. True joy lies in being united with paramaatma; if you seek joy, look for it in the right place. Rest everywhere else, do your duty, don’t try to extract joy; trust me, it’s not even there, but by limited perception, let’s not dismantle social institutions like marriages or endorse divorces, and let’s not encourage younger generations to abandon older parents or not have babies. We as a nation must be rooted in our ancient wisdom to be able to reach our future goals,” the note concluded.
