Responding to actress-filmmaker Kangana Ranaut's recent comments naming her and fellow actress Swara Bhasker, Taapsee Pannu wrote that the bigger battle in the film industry is to create a 'better ecosystem to coexist'.
The debate about 'nepotism' and 'insider versus outsider' has gained fresh impetus following the death by suicide of actor Sushant Singh Rajput.
While the cause for the actor's suicide is still under investigation by the police, several people have used the opportunity to accuse the film industry of being run by cliques, thereby barring 'outsiders' entry.
The debate plumbed new depths when Ranaut directed attention towards her own 'struggle' in a recent interview with the television channel Republic TV, going on to call Pannu and Swara ''B-grade actresses'' and ''needy outsiders''.
While the Saand Ki Aankh (2019) actress did not respond directly to Ranaut's comments, she replied to a filmmaker on Twitter, saying, 'Yes, there are differences between people born with pedigree n the "outsiders" but we aren’t battling each other, we are battling for a better system to coexist, not by mudslinging and name calling!'
Before that there is someone trying to use divide n rule policy in the film industry. Yes there are differences between ppl born with pedigree n the ‘outsiders’ but we aren’t battling each other we are battling for a BETTER SYSTEM TO CO EXIST not by mud slinging n name calling! https://t.co/Q1WXo4Qi21
— taapsee pannu (@taapsee) July 20, 2020
Pannu's Manmarziyaan (2018) director Anurag Kashyap echoed her sentiments, saying, "Friends, there is a strange debate going on. Films don’t have only actors. At least 150 people work on a film set. Insiders or outsiders, the day these people learn to give artistes, workers, spotboys and others working on a set the same respect, we can have a conversation with them."
मित्रों..ग़ज़ब डिबेट चल रही है।फ़िल्मों में सिर्फ़ ऐक्टर्ज़ नहीं होते।एक फ़िल्म के सेट ओर कम से कम डेढ़ सौ लोग काम करते हैं।अंदर वाले या बाहर वाले जिस दिन सेट पे काम करने वाले असिस्टंट्स और workers, Spotboy और बाक़ी सब इंसानों को इज़्ज़त देना सीख जाएँगे तब उनसे बात की जा सकती है
— Anurag Kashyap (@anuragkashyap72) July 20, 2020
Kashyap added that a lot of ''blood and sweat'' goes into the making of a film, but only those who get the most out of cinema tend to speak about it. "It is necessary to look into every aspect of society and speak about all the ills in it," the director added.
एक फ़िल्म बनाने में खून और पसीना सौ से ऊपर लोगों का होता है , लेकिन न्याय , अन्याय की बात सिर्फ़ वही क्यों करता है जिसको फ़िल्मों से सबसे ज़्यादा मिलता है ।
— Anurag Kashyap (@anuragkashyap72) July 20, 2020
सच समझना है तो समाज के हर गड्ढों में झांकना पड़ेगा की कितना गहरा है और उसमें कितना काला है ।
While the debate has been going on since 2017, when Ranaut ignited it with her comment against filmmaker Karan Johar on his television chat show, it has definitely divided the industry.
Writer Kanika Dhillon got into a tiff with Ranaut's official social media team after the latter accused her of being 'left'-orientated.
Just cos I write an appreciation tweet 4a bright-talented-successful woman @taapsee doesn’t make me ‘LEFT’!Jst cos I feel @KanganaTeam Ur incredibly talented doesnt make me ‘RIGHT’.I can hav an opinion widout being accused o’murder-coverups’.U speak ur mind-extend d courtesy pls. https://t.co/w3hzl8rrYP
— Kanika Dhillon (@KanikaDhillon) July 21, 2020