Yet Another Reward on Deepika Padukone's Nose

Again a fringe group, based in Kanpur, has announced a cash prize to anyone who chops off actor Deepika Padukone’s nose. This is the second time in the last couple of months, when there has been a reward on the actor’s nose, since she essays the lead role in the film "Padmavat". So what is all this fixation with the actor’s nose? How come no one has not yet placed a reward on one of the male actor’s body parts?

Why are the fringe groups obsessing over Miss Padukone’s nose?

In November last year, a group of protesters had placed a prize on Padukone’s nose. To compete with that, another group had gone ahead and placed a reward on Padukone and director Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s heads.

I am pretty sure that the groups are not obsessing over the actor’s nose because of its beauty. Agreed that Padukone has a near perfect nose, but what sits on top of that, is what interests them.

In our culture, the nose is symbolic of honour and pride. “Naak kat jaegi” is a phrase we hear so commonly in our society which means bringing upon shame.

In this case, the nose needs to be cut down out of revenge. As the actor plays the titular character of a Rajput Queen, in the film, which has offended the honour of the group.

Women are both the shield and sword in this war 

Our body parts seem to be of more value to the society, as the price for them seems to run into crores. Whereas our lives don’t matter at all. “Padmavat” stars male actors like Shahid Kapoor and Ranveer Singh. Yet, both of them have managed to remain out of the realm the outrage.

No one has placed a price on Ranveer and Shahid’s heads, nose or biceps.

I am glad that the men are much safer than the director and lead female actor of the film. No one should be threatened with bodily harm, merely because they chose to act in a work of fiction. But the rage directed at Deepika and her nose, again makes us question where we place women in our society.

Women are always the targets during controversies and fights. The other aspect of this is how women from the said group are threatening to commit Jauhar if “Padmavat” releases. So either way, women will bear the loses of this war.

This war was between a group which feels a threat to it’s community’s honour, and a film maker, who has the right to make a work of fiction on a fable. But in months from when Padmavat’s film set was vandalised, to it being released today, the battle has put women’s honour as its primary defense and attack.

This simply showcases that women are either dispensable or have more value per body part than of our collective lives. Depending on which side of the battle line we are.

Pic Credit: India Today

Also Read : Are Women Being Indoctrinated into Committing Jauhar?

Yamini Pustake Bhalerao is a writer with the SheThePeople team, in the Opinions section. The views expressed are the author’s own.