Why We Love Sona Mohapatra's "Artistic Reaction" To Trolls Slut-Shaming Bollywood Women

Sona Mohapatra on Raj Kundra Case: The British-Indian businessman Raj Kundra got arrested by the Mumbai police on July 19 for the alleged production and distribution of pornographic content. This has given netizens an excuse slut-shame women from the entertainment industry. As a reaction to this, singer Sona Mohapatra took to social media to respond to such misogynist trolls.

In a series of tweets, Mohapatra said that one cannot cite Kundra's arrest as a reason to disrespect others. She also explained there is a difference between free will or consent and exploitation or trafficking.

Sona Mohapatra on Raj Kundra Case: Consent v/s Exploitation

Posting a "self-directed" clip shot at a hotel room with her new track Ek Din playing in the background, singer Sona Mohapatra tweeted, "Nothing showcases the hypocrisy, toxicity of society more than when #porn related news ends up giving license to #slutshame every woman in the public domain? I directed these videos as an artistic reaction. Freewill, Consent VS Exploitation/Trafficking."

Nothing showcases the #hypocrisy, toxicity of society more than when #porn related news ends up giving people the licence to #slutshame every #woman in the public domain?I directed these videos as an artistic reaction.Freewill,Consent VS Exploitation/Trafficking! #India #LetsTalk pic.twitter.com/xi4pT7hKOk

— Sona Mohapatra (@sonamohapatra) July 26, 2021

The singer drew our attention to the distinction between consent and exploitation. And reiterated that nothing gives us the right to shame women celebrating their bodies out of their choice. Doing this would mean that we are too intolerant to accept liberated females, particularly in the public space. Instead of raising questions about a woman's character, why don't we rather take stricter actions against the ones who exploit them for their selfish motives? The toxicity within us has reached a point where we can hardly see the line which demarcates a perpetrator and the survivor.

Stop hunting for excuses to abuse women

Ironically, people who abuse women because they believe everyone from the film industry "is the same" are those who intentionally objectify them. Now that the businessman stands exposed because he used women for his alleged illegal activities, no one spares a moment to look into the seriousness of the matter but throwing lewd remarks at public figures even without any solid evidence against them. Why do we generalise public figures as being "characterless" when we have zero knowledge about their personal lives?

The #RajKundra blow-up cannot be an excuse to throw lewd 🤮 comments into our timelines & say things like, you are from #Bollywood & all of you are the same or other shit. No one has a right to shame,touch or do anything without our consent. Sounds simple enough? #India #LetsTalk pic.twitter.com/lmmWEC34sO

— Sona Mohapatra (@sonamohapatra) July 26, 2021

The views expressed are the author's own.