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Shah Rukh Khan OPENS UP on 'Why Indian actors don't speak like Meryl Streep?'

Shah Rukh Khan responds to the question - Why don't Indian actors speak like Mery Streep?

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Soon after Meryl Streep's moving speech at the Golden Globes 2017 (in which she slams the US President elect Donald Trump among other things) became the talk of the town, a certain section of the Indian intelligentsia started raising the question, "Why Indian celebrities, especially Bollywood stars don't speak up like Meryl Streep?" 

Recently, when Shah Rukh Khan was asked to comment on the said question being raised in the country about Indian actors, in an interview given to The Indian Express, SRK elaborated on how the situation in India is different from that in the US and that one has the right to remain silent as well. Excerpts:

On why it's odd for Indian journalists to say, "when will Indian actors start speaking like Meryl Streep?"

What Meryl Streep spoke about at the Golden Globe Awards is related to what’s happening in the US, something she believes in, and has a comment to make. Before any journalist starts comparing, is there a similar situation here that you want me to speak about? No. If there is a situation that is different, I am sure people who want to speak will speak differently.
I found it very odd that all the journalists started saying “when will Indian actors start speaking like this?” Why would Indian actors speak about a situation that does not exist? If there is an agenda and situation you want us to speak on, then you ask us about it and, obviously, we do speak...

After Meryl Streep’s speech, asking me why Indian actors are not doing the same is weird. It is like asking me suddenly why I am not playing golf like Tiger Woods. I appreciate what she said and think it was very brave of her to say that in an event organised by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. Our actors do speak. So do our actresses, filmmakers, producers and journalists...But the bottom-line is, you’ve got to speak to people who understand what you are saying. More than the platform Streep used for speaking, she had the platform where people understood what she said… 

Why would you say that I wish Indian actors spoke like this? Can I say I wish Indian journalists presented me like that too? Is that fair? Give me a platform where you present my point of view, not as part of the agenda you have in your storyline. I would speak — I always did, I always will.

I would like to turn around and ask: Why don’t journalists here behave the way their counterparts do in the West? You see journalists asking pointed questions to presidential candidates fearlessly and with facts. If the other person interrupts, they would stop and say, “It is his time”.

How every interview has become an editorial

Here, I want to tell the journalists that it is not your time, so can you please keep quiet. Can I listen to those two people you are asking questions to? Now, there are two journalists on the TV screen and both are talking over each other and the panelists, sitting there, are not talking. It is a strange space…

Recently, I have developed an issue. I am not complaining, I am part of this. Somewhere down the line, if you have a point of view and a very strong one, you need to directly tell me: “I am doing this piece on you. Shah Rukh, would you like to comment, pro or against? Would you like to take a side on this point of view that I have?” I might say that I agree with you, so I would like to make this statement. Or, maybe, I would say no, I don’t agree with what you are saying and you can go ahead and put it in your story. Every interview has become an editorial…

On media persons trying to become famous...

Like I have said before, journalists are not used to stardom — theirs as well as celebrities’. Suddenly, everybody looks better, does better make-up and the anchor is the star of every show. The editor is the star of every snippet. Everybody writes an article with a picture. Everybody is trying to lose weight, look nice. When I was seven years into stardom, I used to behave like this.
I am waiting for media persons to get over their wonderful, newly-gained stardom. I am friends with most of them and really want to ask them: Why do you want to join the bandwagon of faceless people on social media who just want to say a thing and become famous? You don’t need to do that. You are someone who used to present the point of view of people, so that I can take your opinion, other people’s opinion, and decide what’s happening around the world. You are the first source of knowledge about what’s happening…

Why he doesn't want to be a part of the "hashtag" trend

Something happens somewhere and I am not even aware of it...People start questioning why Shah Rukh Khan is not speaking. If something is not affecting me or I have no knowledge about it, I am allowed to remain silent. If I don’t want to talk about an issue, does it make you less aware or less of a person?… There is so much noise otherwise. There are days I don’t want to add to that noise, don’t want to be a hashtag. Sometimes I need space to find out what has happened and then decide if I want to comment.
By the time I find out, the moment is gone. I know my voice matters. I would like to say it at the right platform, space and express my ideology. I don’t want to be part of this hashtag trend.
There are a lot of idiots who will also start speaking up since you are asking them to. Believe me, you don’t want to hear them. As it is, there are so many people on social media. There used to be a “save power day”, when you kept lights off for some hours. Similarly, for three hours, people should not tweet or re-tweet and just relax.

(Read the full article, which originally appeared here)

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