'Why is being a porn star socially acceptable and not a prostitute?'
Kangana Ranaut, who is set to mark her electoral debut from Himachal Pradesh's Mandi Lok Sabha constituency, opened up on a past comment on Urmila Matondkar, in which she had addressed the latter as a 'soft porn actress'.
'Is soft porn or porn star an objectionable term? No! It is not an objectionable term,' Kangana declared at the Times Now Summit on Wednesday.
'It is a word that is not socially acceptable. Humare desh mein jitna porn star ko respect milta hai, puchiye Sunny Leone se, utna respect poore world mein kisiko nahi mil sakta (No other country treats porn stars with such respect as we do...you can ask Sunny Leone).
'I was asked to comment on Urmilaji, asking on what basis was the BJP considering me for a foray into politics. That was her question. I believe there are different realms of art. Sensational art, the one we refer to as massy art, which only titillates or physically stimulates you, that is also an art form.
'However, that can never be superior to the art that is intellectually motivating, one which stimulates your mind. I personally believe that I belong to that balanced cinema artiste tribe. I have never done item numbers. So all I said was that if she could join a party with her kind of filmography, then I have a more ravishing body of work.
'In fact, what I am saying is why being a porn star socially acceptable and not a prostitute? Why do we have this kind of mindset for prostitutes while we accept porn stars socially? Is it because they have more money? Do they have (more) glamour? We don't treat prostitutes the same way as porn stars.'
Urmila made her political debut as a Congress candidate in the 2019 Lok Sabha election from the Mumbai North constituency. She lost the election and joined the Shiv Sena in 2020.
Earlier, in 2020, Urmila hit out at Kangana for allegedly disrespecting Jaya Bachchan, after the veteran actor claimed that the entire film industry was being 'tarnished' in a speech in Parliament.
In an interview Urmila had said, 'Kangana wasn't even born when Jayaji found fame in the film industry. We're talking about a lady here, who has been an icon. Which part of Indian culture tells you to lash out at people like this?'
To this, Kangana issued a statement earlier that read, 'I saw one very derogatory interview given by Urmila Matondkar. The way she was talking about me, pulling faces, making a mockery about my struggles, attacking me on the fact that I am trying to appease the BJP for a ticket. One doesn't have to be a genius to figure that for me it is not very difficult to get a ticket.
'Urmila is a soft porn star. She is not known for her acting for sure, what is she known for? For doing soft porn right. If she could get a ticket, why wouldn't I get a ticket?'
Kangana also responded to controversial comments made from Congress leader Supriya Srinate's social media handle and said the alignment of the Congress is such 'that they disrespect women'.
Kangana referred to the post and said she felt hurt that Mandi, a district in Himachal Pradesh, is being associated with such words.
'I felt very sad. We have been working for women empowerment. It has been a fight for me to bring about a certain sense of dignity, respect and equality for women. Such comments take us back from such issues. This is like the mentality that 'she is asking for it'.
'This was very alarming content and I was more hurt that Mandi is being associated with such words. I would like to tell you that Mandi was named after a rishi called Mandav Rishi,' Kangana said.
'Ye jo Mandi hai na, Congress ke logo ke dimag mein chalti rahti hai na, ye voo wali Mandi nahi hai (The mandi that goes on in the minds of Congress people, this is not that mandi). This is Rishi Mandav's Mandi,' she added.
Shrinate, who is chairperson of the Congress party's social media and digital platforms, clarified on Monday that she could never make such personal and indecent comments about any woman.
'Many people have access to my Facebook and Instagram accounts. Someone made an extremely inappropriate post today. As soon as I came to know, I deleted that post. Everyone who knows me also knows very well that I can never make personal and indecent comments towards any woman. I wanted to know how this happened,' she said.
Referring to the post from Shrinate's handle, Kangana had earlier said every woman deserves dignity.
'Dear Supriyaji, in the last 20 years of my career as an artist, I have played all kinds of women. From a naive girl in Queen to a seductive spy in Dhaakad, from a goddess in Manikarnika to a demon in Chandramukhi, from a prostitute in Rajjo to a revolutionary leader in Thalaivii,' Ranaut had posted on X.
BJP leaders condemned Shrinate over the remarks and demanded action from Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge.
Did Kangana always have plans of joining politics?
'The decision is always with the party, but I have always openly supported the BJP, regardless of whether I am a party member or not,' Kangana said.
'I have always fought for the BJP and supported Bharat. I always felt that my natural alignment of ideology or personality has always been that of a tadkta-bhadkta right wing or a glorious right-wing personality.
'To be a leader, people should say "She should be a leader". I think it's a different kind of role and responsibility.'
Kangana was announced as the Bharatiya Janata Party candidate from Himachal Pradesh's Mandi on Sunday.
The actor posted on her Instagram Story: 'My beloved Bharat and Bharatiya Janta's own party, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has always had my unconditional support, today the national leadership of BJP has announced me as their Lok Sabha candidate from my birth place Himachal Pradesh, Mandi (constituency) I abide by the high command's decision on contesting Lok Sabha polls.
'I feel honoured and elated to officially join the party. I look forward to be a worthy karyakarta and a reliable public servant. Thanks.'
