'Agenda being pushed': Swara Bhasker reacts to 'jauhar' controversy
What's the story
Actor Swara Bhasker recently faced massive backlash for her comments on the jauhar scene in Padmaavat. In an exclusive interview with SCREEN, she has now called the controversy "constructed" and claimed that several trolls profit from targeting her online. "I don't understand. This is a 9-or 10-year-old controversy," she said, referring to the backlash she received for an open letter criticizing the film in 2018.
Backlash
'You are lying about what I said'
Bhasker added, "Now again you're angry about the same thing that you were angry about 10 years ago. And you're not just misconstruing. You are lying about what I said."
"I said that if I had been a rape survivor and I watched that glorification...I would feel like a coward. I'm saying 'I' would feel like a coward. Even major media channels...are reporting that Swara Bhasker calls jauhar an act of cowardice or the jauhar women are cowards."
Controversy
Controversies involving me are being manufactured, amplified: Bhasker
Bhasker said she felt the episode was not an isolated one, noting that several controversies involving her in recent years have been deliberately amplified.
"I really feel that all these kinds of controversies of mine, especially in recent years and the last few weeks, are all constructed and being pushed because other agendas are being conducted on the shoulders of my controversies."
Trolls
'People are getting jobs in my name'
The actor also said, "Some people are getting jobs in my name. They spent the whole day training the army, doing the same thing that is to troll Swara Bhasker."
"I always say to people, if your job is coming out of having my name in the headlines and lying about me, misquoting me, constantly naming me and harassing me, targeting me, then kindly send a Diwali hamper this year with a thank you note."
Accusation
She pointed to an IT cell in her allegations
Sharing her suspicions about who was behind these "constructed" attacks, Bhasker said, "It's very obvious, right? We know which IT cell is the strongest, has the most money and is the most powerful. It's obviously them."
"It takes away from all the criticism that's happening on their side right now."
Comments
What did Bhasker say about the scene?
Bhasker was speaking at the Woman Life Freedom talk at the India International Centre, Delhi, earlier this month.
She said, "I was watching it, and I thought that if God forbid, I was a rape survivor, what is this film telling me?"
"I would feel like a coward that I didn't commit suicide to save my honor. Is that what you want to tell in a society like ours where I feel like anyway there is a rape epidemic."
Clarification
Actor offered clarification after online uproar
After the backlash, Bhasker took to social media to clarify her remarks.
She said, "I want to make it absolutely clear that I did not say that Rani Padmavati was a coward or that the other women in the palace were cowards."
"What I had said was that while watching the climax I thought God forbid if I were a rape survivor I would feel like a coward for not having taken my own life."