Kangana and Rhea: One death, two women, a sad story of politics, media trial and our regressive society

The story is long and at this juncture one wonders if it meant to land where it is today.

It all began with the death of Sushant Singh Rajput, a talented young actor on June 14 First it was like an open and shut case, the actor had depression which most likely led to his suicide. Then the debate started whether Rajput had depression due to the professional setbacks he suffered being an outsider in Bollywood. From then on nepotism became the centre of debates and discussions.

In jumped actor Kangana Ranaut, for she had started the original debate on outsiders versus star kids. And so she led the debate and as a result many directors and production houses were asked to give statements if they had been unfair to Rajput. When nothing came of that, the media declared that Rajput’s death was not by a simple suicide but that his girlfriend Rhea Chakraborty abetted the suicide as she was living with him.

That really did open a can of worms. Chakraborty was accused of alleged money laundering and transferring money from Rajput’s account to hers. Well, none of that has been proven true till now by the Enforcement Directorate. The media hounding and trolling led Chakraborty to appeal to the government to hand over Rajput’s case to the central investigation agency the CBI. Well, CBI did take over the case. The agency has not pressed any charges so far.

And then out of the blue we get to hear that Rajput was given drugs!

To cut the long story short Rhea has now been sent to 14-day judicial custody. She has been charged with organising drugs for the Bollywood star after three days of questioning by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB). The drugs case hinges on just 59 grams of curated marijuana seized from two drug peddlers and their alleged links to Sushant Singh Rajput!

In the process, it was Rhea Chakraborty who faced the most bitter trolling and rebuking on social media in the name of #JusticeForSSR, the vilest of media inquisition with reporters haggling and harassing which reached a frenzied pitch on Sunday as she appeared for questioning.

‘Bharat ki beti’ and a politician

In the meantime Kangana Ranaut from her safe haven in Manali kept posting videos where she said if Bollywood is tested then half of it will test positive for substance abuse.

When nepotism did not work, she jumped on the bandwagon of drug abuse suspicion. Netizens and some political leaders projected an image of Kangana the warrior all ready to expose the Bollywood drug nexus! And then the POK comment and ruckus over it happened.

We did not even realise when the entire case of a young actor’s death turned into a political issue with the debates sinking deep into denigrating, besmearing campaign on social media, a battle of Kangana vs Rhea- former trying desperately to paint herself as the most ‘deshbhakt victim’ of the debate (which she herself started with the most rebuking words one can use on public platforms), the other inadvertently and then suddenly ‘becoming’ a victim, a target of all the wild imagination of a frenzied social media which accused her of black magic, exploiting the boy friend etc.

One portraying herself as a victim is gradually shifting to politics, very obviously taking sides with loaded statements, flaunting a bravado which only a person with powerful connections can but simply falling prey to the popular ‘Devi’ kind of ‘feminism’ most of the patriarchal people like to present you with; while the other is simply becoming the victim of it all.

Kangana Ranaut has landed in Mumbai as I write. And has almost threatened the state chief minister saying that the BMC has demolished her house today, the chief minister’s arrogance will be destroyed tomorrow!

Two women two stories

At this point I am forced to introspect as to who needs security most--a defenceless Chakraborty or the suave Ranaut who knows how to play the victim card. Did Chakraborty deserve what she got? Was she taken in custody just to silence a frenzied public and media? If so is it correct?

Also, what was the threat to Ranaut? Would a state government have let harm come the way of a citizen of her repute? Or was something else being played out here. To show Sena ruled state in bad light? Many see it as Centre vs Maharashtra government issue now. Her views on social media also were seen as supporting the ruling Union government in the upcoming Bihar elections as Sushant belonged to Bihar and also a particular caste, the ruling party would like to woo.

Also the change in Ranaut’s stand from time to time is difficult to fathom without the political colour to it. She turned whichever way it suited her. Starting from nepotism to drugs to threat to life in the crudest of language. This hapless ‘Bharat ki beti’ label is hard to digest now.

In all this war of words and a competition of who can stoop lower-the media, the actor, the social media or political leaders, the most important issue faded into insignificance-an actor’s death, apparently because he had some mental health issues.

But well, you all won’t be interested in such a drab issue after all! May be, we all as a society suffer from the same issue and have taken refuge in the ‘masala’ news which leads to an unending maze or the rebuking angry statements by the actor which shock you, entertain you and make you forget that your coffers are empty!