Bollywood actress Swara Bhasker has clarified her recent tweet that sparked a heated debate on social media. The actress had lashed out at what she termed a “brain and soul-dead society” for being more enraged by a fictional torture scene of Hindus over the deaths in two recent stampedes. Swara’s tweet was seen as a reference to the Vicky Kaushal-starrer film Chhaava, although she did not make any specific mentions.
Setting the Record Straight
Taking to X (formerly Twitter) on Friday, Swara asked people not to misuse the “glory of the past to hide the mistakes & failure of present times”. She shared that she respects the “brave legacy and contribution” of Chhatrapati Shivaji, the Maratha emperor. Swara tweeted, “My tweet has generated much debate & avoidable misunderstanding. Without any doubt I respect the brave legacy and contribution of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.. especially his ideas of social justice & respect for women.” She added, “My limited point is that glorifying our history is great but please don’t misuse the glory of the past to hide the mistakes & failure of present times. Historical understanding should always be used to unite people & not to divide and divert attention from current issues.”
https://x.com/ReallySwara/status/1892846092716314982
More about the issue
Swara’s earlier tweet had sparked a heated debate, with many accusing her of being insensitive to Hindu sentiments. However, the actress clarified that her intention was not to hurt anyone’s sentiments, but to highlight the importance of addressing current issues rather than getting bogged down in historical debates. “If my earlier tweet has hurt any sentiments, that is regretted.. Like any other proud Indian, I am also proud of our history. Our history should unite us and give us strength to fight for a better and more inclusive future (sparkles emoji),” Swara concluded.
The controversy surrounding Swara’s tweet comes at a time when the country is still reeling from the aftermath of two recent stampedes that resulted in the loss of several lives. The actress’s comments were seen as a commentary on the societal priorities, where fictional depictions of historical events seem to garner more outrage than real-life tragedies.
