Dreamum Wakeupum ! Critical Conditionum !
If you have no clue, what I am going on about – let me give you a quick recap.
Not so long ago, India’s Oprah – Veteran Actor, Aamir Khan (yes, I said veteran) kicked things off on his talk show – Satyamev Jayate with an episode on homosexuality. Yesterday, a Chandigarh court issued Mr. Khan a notice on account of a petition filed by Mandeep Kaur, an advocate. Quite simply, Ms. Kaur alleges that Mr. Khan promoted homosexuality and was thus, in violation of Section 377. Yes, that darn ol’ thing again.
Now as homosexuals, one could do many things at this juncture.
We could …
be up in arms, bellowing loudly about the unfairness of it all.
write open letters to Ms. Kaur. Followed by one to her right toe. Then one to her chappal. You know how they go.
meme this incident forever onto the Indian consciousness.
The possibilities are endless.
But no, no. Tch. Tch. Instead, we shall take the high road – we will tackle the merits and demerits of this remarkable development.
With all the impartiality of a Punjabi bookie during the Kabbadi league final. #jk
Truly though, this is an issue that affects all of us – curly, or straight, queer or sad, 377 or 420 ( if you clicked on that link, you are welcome.) . As much as the show, Satyamev Jayate seeks to educate and empower in a mawkish, TRP gathering, groundbreaking but non-threatening fashion, when free speech is threatened – We must get really pissed.
Coming back to the point – the petition. Ms. Kaur claims that Mr. Khan promoted homosexuality through his show because he asked the Indian audience to vote for amendments to section 377 of the Indian Penal Code.
By that logic going by the earlier few seasons, he also promoted female foeticide, untouchability and corruption – But we are ok with that.
Next, Ms. Kaur had asked Mr Khan for an unconditional apology 24 hours after the show aired but he didn’t respond (Did you try Tweeting, Ms Kaur?). I can understand that that must have been hurtful but if ever you should watch Aamir’s show and want one again, there’s a brilliant immediate way to keep your feelings intact – it’s call the Mute button.
Even the Twitter has one.
What else? Ms. Kaur seeks the court’s intervention to declare Mr. Khan’s act as a contempt of court. I get it, I get it. These days, there’s a term for what Aamir did. It’s …
and for all this, Ms. Kaur wants him to go to Jail?
Harshy harsh there, don’t you think?
Now, in this day and age when everyone wants that one #TrendingHashtag of fame and doesn’t really care much about …oh, I dunno, real people? I can understand why filing a petition against a famous actor exercising free speech in favor of an oppressed minority would be a juicy juicy proposition.
I applaud Ms Kaur for exercising her rights as a citizen to do exactly that. It’s like your ex when they exercise the right to break up with you via a text message or your boss exercising his right to …well, boss when he makes you work yet another weekend. It’s exactly like those things – you have rights, so by gosh ! You better darn well use them. With no care or concern to the rest of humanity.
*Slow Clap*
Now I tempted to get all Nadella on this and say, you know what ? Screw it. Karma will take care of this mess, and it usually does. But before I go away to huff and puff in a corner with my homosexual lungs, I must remind Ms Kaur who sounds like a real standup lady and an all round protector of our Indian culture and integrity – of one last thing…
