Comments on: Smiley’s Open Letter to Director Shankar

By: (Mis)Representation of Hijras in Popular Media

(Mis)Representation of Hijras in Popular Media — Wed, 09 Dec 2015 07:52:14 +0000

[…] portrayal of the hijra character. The movie not just showed a sociopath hijra villain, but was severely insensitive and transphobic just with the language used. An older Bollywood movie, Sadak had a hijra character as the main villain, who holds the female […]

By: Dharani

Dharani — Wed, 12 Aug 2015 16:55:36 +0000

This cannot be tolerated anymore. Something has to be done. How could we stop this in legal way

By: Ashwin

Ashwin — Thu, 29 Jan 2015 04:47:24 +0000

This will go as insignificant as any great letter in my great country. It shall be looked at, admired and forgotten by millions while successively having no effect on the cine industry. I extend my sympathies to the author and re-assure that many share the same opinion but ultimately nobody will do anything about it. Now keyboard warriors hall rage over this page until it loses popularity. Excuse my manners but thing deep of what I have just stated.

By: Winoath

Winoath — Wed, 28 Jan 2015 16:01:15 +0000

I bow my head to you Smiley.

By: hari anan

hari anan — Sun, 25 Jan 2015 08:28:16 +0000

Being a chennaite and living abroad for many years, I have persoanlly experienced and seen the steady deteriorioration of respect,culture between fellow human beings especially towards women in chennai,leave alone the minorities like transgenders…..giving way to hooliganism, suggestive gestures and vulgar language openly in the roads. Men openly gawk at women (esp foreign women) who feel they are being ‘disrobed’ while walking in roads. I am surprised no one protests anymore when they hear the vulgar dialogues depicting women in some tamil movies,immune???? .so this blatant degradation of transgenders by a so called ‘top director’ is no surprise to me. Where has all the culture gone in chennai??????

By: Kaustav

Kaustav — Sat, 24 Jan 2015 17:34:35 +0000

It’s sad that a director of such repute would put on display such insensitivity. I am shocked infinitely. If Shankar claims to have made an epic film, he must also know, that epics which encapsulate the realities of a culture within which it is produced, have always acknowledged the citizenry of all, and have not been denigrating of citizens, unless they have transgressed some moral codes that hurt others. If he has not been able to understand the simple truth that honouring “differences” is the mark of a true artist, he better not make films anymore. In any case, popular culture in India has always been sexist, predominantly misogynist and homophobic; but, to perpetuate the same worldview in 2015, is something shameful. Shankar should apologise publicly; in fact, such insensitive people like Shankar should not be allowed entry in such powerful mediums as cinema, for they might be instrumental in making this world a more difficult place to survive for those, who are different and do not want to perform.

By: Venkatesh

Venkatesh — Sat, 24 Jan 2015 17:06:38 +0000

In reply to Kavishna. Kavishna, Common emotions they are, as u have rightly pointed out. But is that what the movie implies? Sadly, not. The love of a trans woman is seen as nothing but disgusting, by the actor. I agree, that is the common reaction in our society, but can a narrow-minded mentality be justified simply because it is widely prevalent?

By: Venkatesh

Venkatesh — Sat, 24 Jan 2015 16:56:53 +0000

As appalled as I was watching a trans woman being projected in such a demeaning potrayal in ‘I’, I was also left with a deep disgust towards the sheer insensitivity of these director, writers and actors part of it. They have terribly failed themselves by not realising the social responsibility they hold owing to the impact their work has over the masses. I walked out of the show as an utterly hurt and disgusted guy.
Smiley, ur article here is a heart wrenching one, resonating with the views of mine and thousands of others out here. We stand by u!

By: Deepa

Deepa — Fri, 23 Jan 2015 16:56:07 +0000

Looks like Shankar has lost his credibility and dignity as a director, in the eyes of the commons. Gender insensitivities and other type insensitivities like targeting a particular section of the people, in the name of freedom of expression has become a norm than exception. We do live in a misogynistic society to some extent which has only extended itself to other sections like the LGBT community. Change has to be brought about by only such acclaimed directors, who surprisingly are regressive in their attitude. Hope Shankar is given a chance for retribution atleast in his next film!

By: I am a cis-gendered woman, writing to all You unapologetic ‘I’ supporters | orinam

Thu, 22 Jan 2015 08:30:07 +0000

[…] letter is in response to the unapologetic defenders of the blatant transphobia in Director Shankar’s film […]