The alleged rape and murder of a doctor in Kolkata again brought up the issue of women’s safety in India, and strong reactions have come from celebrities and actors. Shah Rukh Khan’s old comments on educating male youth to respect women have resurfaced online, along with some completely contradictory statements about his own son, Aryan Khan.
In 2013, during promotions of his film Chennai Express in Kolkata, Shah Rukh Khan stood up for the city amid complaints of poor safety and said that much needed to be done to change the mentality of not bringing up boys to be gentle and respectful towards women. He added that he tells his son not to break a girl’s heart and to respect women.
In 2017, Shah Rukh Khan stressed the significance of teaching their sons to respect women at an event organized for a charity when he said that every woman, whether a daughter or mother, should be respected and considered as god’s creation. The Bollywood superstar further warned his sons, Aryan and AbRam, never to hurt any woman and to show respect toward them.
However, a video compilation from an earlier talk show depicted a contrary statement from Shah Rukh Khan, where he mentioned how he wishes his son to grow up to be a playboy, to womanize and enjoy everything. The actor’s past comments have thrown questions at him for the consistency of his stand on teaching boys about respecting women.
The murder and rape of a 31-year-old postgraduate student in the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata, on August 9 has evoked nationwide protests and reflected the huge need for reforms relating to the safety of women in India.
It’s the different statements by Shah Rukh Khan on teaching his son respect towards women that have all been too provocative, thereby raising most of the key questions regarding the role both of the parents and society inside a system of creating a culture that will eventually make sure that women in India are respected and regarded as safe.