Kangana Ranaut in a still from Koffee With Karan season 5.
Of late, Bollywood feels more like a sophomore class, discovering new words and ideas every day. Saif Ali Khan just sent everyone scurrying to find out the meaning of word ‘eugenics’. Karan Johar cited nepotism as ‘easy access’. You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to observe how Saif Ali Khan and Karan Johar’s response to the whole nepotism debate was plain ignorance. But let’s not enlighten you on words like ‘eugenics’ (which is by the way hugely misleading). Because that will consume your time and it’s of little value as Kangana Ranaut’s open letter which she penned for Mid-Day addressing the nepotism debate just landed on our desktop. And trust me, reading it is worth your time.
In contrast to Saif and Karan’s immature and silly take on nepotism, Kangana Ranaut’s open letter reads more like a well-articulated essay. It has grace and objectivity. It should be appreciated for its clarity of thought. The flow of words carries a rhythm. The words seem to have come from a hidden trove of wisdom, gained after years of toil and struggle. Each and every single word seems to have been earned. The whole open letter is economical in nature. Above all, it talks about things that you wouldn’t imagine the film industry to openly discuss. In an industry, where female actors are supposed to giggle at an actor’s witty remarks, this open letter almost feels like an act of rebellion. Only that it shouldn’t feel like one. Kangana Ranaut’s words should be a normalcy which is otherwise eschewed in the lanes of Bollywood. If on one hand, Kangana Ranaut’s words reflect upon Ayn Rand’s philosophy, they also provide astute insights into work ethics and morals. Kangana has single-handedly taken this debate beyond nepotism and has introduced some new words to Bollywood.
Here’s a quick look at these new no-nonsense words that Bollywood will need some time to learn and bring into their daily vernacular:
Objectivity
The oxford dictionary defines the words as: (of a person or their judgment) not influenced by personal feelings or opinions in considering and representing facts. In her open letter, Kangana wrote, “Nepotism, on many levels, fails the test of objectivity and rationale. I have acquired these values from the ones who have found great success and discovered a higher truth, much before me.”
Rationale
The Oxford dictionary defines the word as a set of reasons or a logical basis for a course of action or belief. Kangana argues that it’s important for somebody to think logically before taking a decision. An individual’s decision shouldn’t be influenced by temperamental human emotions.
Individual
Individuality is a rarity in Bollywood as it likes to work in close knits groups. Kangana Ranaut just reminded Bollywood that individuals do exist. In her open letter, Kangana wrote, “Today, I can afford to have the willpower to stand for these values, but tomorrow, I might fail, and help my own children realise their dreams of stardom. In that case, I believe that I would have failed as an individual.”
Collective humanity
In her open letter, Kangana argues that our work will shape the future. We will be judged by our choices. She wrote, “Greats like Vivekananda, Einstein, and Shakespeare didn’t belong to a select few. They belonged to collective humanity. Their work has shaped our future, and our work will shape the future of the coming generations.”
Human spirit
Kangana also wrote about the human spirit that moves this world. She wrote, “Even in today’s times, there are plenty of examples where it has repeatedly been proven that beyond the superficiality of branded clothes, polished accents, and a sanitised upbringing, exists grit, genuine hard-work, diligence, eagerness to learn, and the gigantic power of the human spirit”.
