If People Will Censor Films Then What Is The Censor Board For: Asha Parekh On Pathaan Controversy And Cancel Culture

"The industry has been going through tough times. And if films don’t work, then the industry will die down," Asha Parekh on 'Pathaan' controversy and cancel culture.

Asha Parekh at ABP Network Ideas Of India 2023.

Source : Screengrab From Video On YouTube.

ABP Network Ideas Of India 2023: Veteran actress, film director and producer Asha Parekh attended the second edition of ABP Network Ideas of India alongwith yesteryear actor Zeenat Aman. The actors were part of a discussion on 'Life At The Movies: Revisiting The Magic'. The actors shared their thoughts on working in the entertainment industry, their contemporaries, and also the "insecurities" faced by fellow actors.

Asha Parekh, who is a former member of the Central Board Of Film Certification, was also asked a question on the recent controversy around Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone's 'Pathaan'. The action thriller film faced trouble with certain groups over the orange outfit that Deepika Padukone wore in the song 'Besharam rang'.

Calling it a controversial question, Parekh said, "Firstly, ‘Pathaan’ was not censored when the controversy happened, the song had come out on YouTube." “If you all (referring to those who protested against the film) are doing censorship on your own, then why is the censor board needed?,” she asked.

"Whatever is happening to 'Pathaan' is wrong," she added.

The veteran actress also laid emphasis on the damage that the cancel culture is causing to the industry.

"The industry has been going through tough times. And if films don’t work, then the industry will die down. There are so many people who work on one film and they all will lose jobs, if the industry shuts down. If you keep calling for a ban on every other film, then what will happen to the film industry? I feel really sad and these things should not happen,” she said.

At the event, the actress known for her roles in blockbuster movies like 'Caravan', 'Teesri Manzil' and 'Kati Patang', was asked about a dream role that she wished she had done.

"'Mother India' mein Nargis ji jaisa ek role milta (I wish I had a role like Naris ji in Mother India). There were so many shades... she had such courage... Nargis (Dutt) did a great job," she said.

The renowned artist who ruled the silver screen in the 1960's and 1970's was also asked if she was open to accepting age appropriate roles. Replying to the question, the 80-year-old actress said, "No, I don't want to work anymore. I have done so much work. I want to rest now."

Ideas Of India Is Back 

ABP Network Ideas Of India Summit is back for its second edition. On February 24 and 25, eminent personalities from all walks of life will share their thoughts on pertinent topics and issues, ranging from climate catastrophe to India’s position as a new global power player.  

This year's speakers will share their thoughts on what constitutes ‘Naya India’, and how our country, now the fifth-largest economy, can position itself as a developed nation by 2047, marking 100 years of independence. 

This year, the ABP Network Ideas Of India summit — co-presented by Dabur Vedic Tea and co-powered by Dr Ortho, Gallant Advance, and Rajesh Masala (driven by Maruti Suzuki and with tech partner Panasonic) — will see notable speakers such as Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari, Minister Of Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, Former British Prime Minister Liz Truss, lyricist and poet Javed Akhtar, musical artists Bickram Ghosh and Shubha Mudgal, authors Amitav Ghosh and Devdutt Pattanaik, actresses Sara Ali Khan, Yami Gautam, Asha Parekh and Zeenat Aman, actors Ayushmann Khurrana and Manoj Vajpayee, celebrity chef Vikas Khanna, sports stars Jwala Gupta and Vinesh Phogat, and many more.