‘Dirty-minded’ music video deemed too spicy for Bollywood over saffron dress: Protests have rocked India over the film’s sexy dancers who don traditional Hindu colours
- The music video, sung in Hindu and Spanish, was used to promote an action film
- Indian actress Deepika Padukone, 36, dances in sexy beachwear in the video
- But Hindus took offense at their saffron dress, traditionally the color of the saints
Hindu nationalists have burned effigies of movie stars in protest at a sexy dance routine in an Indian film that featured an actress in a saffron dress.
Indian actress Deepika Padukone, 36, throws her hips back in beachwear during a musical segment of Bollywood film Pathaan and says: ‘The moment I feel a wave of modesty, I throw it to the wind. The world has not seen my true colors.”
The music video was too much for Narottam Mishra, a minister of Madhya Pradesh’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) – the ruling party in India under Prime Minister Narendra Modi – who said: “The film Pathaan was made with a dirty mindset.”
But it wasn’t her dancing that offended the minister. He took offense at the color of her dress – a saffron shade traditionally worn by Hindu saints.
Indian actress Deepika Padukone, 36, is pictured spinning to dance music as part of a musical segment in the Bollywood film Pathaan. Protests are rocking India over the actress’ saffron dress, traditionally worn by Hindu saints
Parthaan, the sexy dancing movie, is due out next month. Offended viewers filed a complaint against the actors for offending religious feelings in an attempt to get the Broadcasting Ministry to censor the film
Demonstrators burn effigy of the actors and director. Saffron-colored garments are most commonly associated with asceticism, a lifestyle followed by sacred figures who eschew sensual pleasures
“The costumes in the song are offensive at first glance,” Mishra told reporters, according to The Times.
Saffron-colored garments are most commonly associated with asceticism, a lifestyle followed by sacred figures who eschew sensual pleasures. The coloration of the dress – and its use in a scene depicting sexual and promiscuous dancing – sparked anger among Hindus.
Offended viewers filed a complaint against the actors for offending religious feelings in an attempt to get the Broadcasting Ministry to censor the film.
#BoycottPathaan was trending after the backlash on social media.
The music video, sung in a mix of Hindu and Spanish, will be used to promote the action film due out next month.
Footage showed protesters burning images of Shah Rukh Khan, the film’s director.
Angry protesters burned images of Shah Rukh Khan, who was directing the film, as ministers tried to get the moving music segment censored by the state broadcasting regulator
Khan gave a speech at a film event warning of social media restrictions, seemingly in response to the backlash surrounding his film
Following the controversy surrounding his film, Khan was quoted as saying on NDTV: “Social media is often driven by a certain narrow-mindedness that confines human nature to its lower self.
“I read somewhere that negativity increases consumption of social media and, in turn, increases its commercial value. Such endeavors trap the collective narrative, making it divisive and destructive.”
Ministers like Mishra have previously objected to Bollywood films and entertainment on religious grounds, and last year banned a comedian from performing for having mocked Hindu extremism.
Modi’s party is in power in 13 states in India and nationalists are becoming more outspoken than under previous governments.
Others online rushed to defend the actress, who likely had little influence on the decision to wear the dress.
Indian women have begun speaking out against harassment over the past decade after a string of high-profile cases, including the gang rape of Jyoti Singh, sparked conversation about violence against women.