Singing reality show Rising Star 3 started a few weeks back and has already started courting controversy. The show that is hosted by Aditya Narayan and has Shankar Mahadevan, Neeti Mohan and Dilit Dosanjh in the judges’ seat has ruffled quite a few feathers especially women activists who are fighting for the #MeToo movement. The trio has received immense backlash on social media for coming up with a prank that belittles sexual harassment and eve teasing. It happened after two participants used words like ‘kadak’ and ‘raapchik’ to describe Neeti.
The singer was looking glamorous in a red saree and got offended by the contestant’s words. She schooled them for using such cheap language and dishonouring women. She said that they were on national television and threatened to walk out of the show. She said, “I am representing all the girls here and I don’t allow this. No one can talk to me, or any girl like this in this country or any country. We three judges don’t approve this, the show doesn’t approve this, the channel doesn’t approve this way of talking.”
Shankar Mahadevan, Neeti Mohan and Diljit Dosanjh on Rising Star 3
Shikhar Rastogi and Kunal Bojewar were the contestants who were complimented by Neeti for their friendship and she said that they look straight from the film Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety. Kunal said that he doesn’t have a Sweety in his life but Shikhar’s is right here on the sets. When Neeti asked him about her he revealed that Shikhar had told him backstage that Neeti is looking ‘kadak’ and ‘raapchik’ in her red saree and he would make her his Sweety.
Is their singing as good as their pranks? You decide by voting for Kunal & Shikhar on Voot as they sing Tera Yaar Hoon Main LIVE on #RisingStar3. #JantaKaPyaar pic.twitter.com/FN6Zareo9G
— COLORS (@ColorsTV) March 23, 2019
However, when she saw them all apologetic and scared she burst out laughing followed by Diljit and Shankar and revealed that it was a prank played by one contestant on the other. However, this did not go down well with the activists who are fighting for women’s dignity and gender equality. Kirthi Jayakumar and Chinmayi Sripaada took the lead in condemning the prank and demeaning the #MeToo movement. Others followed suit as well.
Check out the tweets below.
.@ColorsTV stop condoning sexual harassment. https://t.co/qVcoMz7vbb
— Kirthi (@kirthijayakumar) March 24, 2019
Terrible that @neetimohan18 says that she represents all girls on the stage, and then threatens to walk out in response to what is clearly inappropriate and verbal sexual harassment, and then proceeds to laugh at how it is all a prank. Seriously, sexual harassment is not a joke.
— Kirthi (@kirthijayakumar) March 23, 2019
And now @diljitdosanjh apologized to them!! @Shankar_Live says it was a prank by one contestant on another. Thanks to how casually you all treat an issue so serious, there is ZERO accountability in this industry for sexual harassment.
— Kirthi (@kirthijayakumar) March 23, 2019
I truly hope you all introspect and think about how you've undermined such a grave issue. You've completely disrespected the emotional labour it takes to fight harassment, to speak up and to seek redress. You've reduced it all to a joke @neetimohan18 @Shankar_Live @diljitdosanjh
— Kirthi (@kirthijayakumar) March 23, 2019
Oh. My. God. This is Disgusting. Aditya Narayan just asked Diwakar Sharma, who is blind, to describe how each of the judges look. I'm so sickened by this apathy and disrespect. Disability is not a joke, you insensitive people.
— Kirthi (@kirthijayakumar) March 23, 2019
Hi Shankar sir and Neeti - I called out Mr Vairamuthu and have been banned by the TN dubbing union.
Please do know this aint funny. I am fighting a court case.
Though support would have been great, this tone deaf joke could have been avoided.
— Chinmayi Sripaada (@Chinmayi) March 24, 2019
Agree. I was zapped at their behaviour. This his exactly how rape culture gets normalized. Shame on the channel and the judges for do this. You are part of the problem.
— Amena (@Fashionopolis) March 24, 2019
This really is very shameful. Here hundreds of women are fighting for their rights. And this is how they decide to act. Do these celebrities even think for one second that they are national youth figures and should think before doing these type of stupid things...
— Nausheen Fatima (@Naushee05002956) March 24, 2019
That's because @Shankar_Live could had been a predator as well and @neetimohan18 doesn't care at all. Shows how socially responsible they are. These are people who will talk lectures on television. Neeti might be fearing to talk as she was recently married.
— Rathish M Saravanan (@dearrathish) March 24, 2019
So happy to see you raise this issue. Even i saw that episode and felt so bad. Such pranks are not to be appreciated at all.
— rhythmmillborn (@rhythmmillborn) March 26, 2019
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