Farhan Akhtar on the love jihad murder: I’m reeling after seeing the man being murdered in Rajasthan
| Dec 9, 2017, 10:11 IST
The brutal murder of a man being murdered and burnt in the name of love jihad hasn't seemed to affect just us, but some of our actors too. And one of them being filmmaker and actor, Farhan Akhtar. The actor seems rather appalled by the situation and has much to say about it too. When recently questioned about the matter and how he feels about it, he said, “I’m reeling after seeing the man being murdered in Rajasthan. How can we all move on with our lives after seeing a video clip of a man being mercilessly murdered and burnt? It’s disturbing and horrific, more so because apparently, the 14-year-old relative of the alleged culprit recorded the whole event. How and when have we allowed things to get so bad that human life is of no consequence?”
He stated that it's time that the entertainment industry spoke about issues like this. He said, “It’s really not enough anymore to say one is here only to entertain, and not to reform society. That’s an escapist attitude. Celebrity status comes with a responsibility." However, he further added, “I really wouldn’t want to comment on what others do, or should do. I can only speak for myself. To me, it’s very important to be a socially responsible citizen."
Further talking about the stardom celebrities enjoy, he said, “That doesn’t mean you try to be or do things that you’re not. Everyone makes mistakes. I’m quite certain I’ve made my share of mistakes. But the important thing is to try to do the right thing. Remember, the public’s eyes are on us all the time. So, try to be on your best behaviour as much as possible." Talking about celebrations after this horrifying incident, he said, “We, as a nation, have a lot to answer for. And until I get some answers, I have no appetite for any kind of celebration. Because, the fact is, we’re witnessing the end of humanity. And each time an incident like this happens, a part of us is dying with the victim — we cannot escape."
He stated that it's time that the entertainment industry spoke about issues like this. He said, “It’s really not enough anymore to say one is here only to entertain, and not to reform society. That’s an escapist attitude. Celebrity status comes with a responsibility." However, he further added, “I really wouldn’t want to comment on what others do, or should do. I can only speak for myself. To me, it’s very important to be a socially responsible citizen."
Further talking about the stardom celebrities enjoy, he said, “That doesn’t mean you try to be or do things that you’re not. Everyone makes mistakes. I’m quite certain I’ve made my share of mistakes. But the important thing is to try to do the right thing. Remember, the public’s eyes are on us all the time. So, try to be on your best behaviour as much as possible." Talking about celebrations after this horrifying incident, he said, “We, as a nation, have a lot to answer for. And until I get some answers, I have no appetite for any kind of celebration. Because, the fact is, we’re witnessing the end of humanity. And each time an incident like this happens, a part of us is dying with the victim — we cannot escape."