Ali Fazal and Sonali Bendre, who were seen in the web series ‘Raakh’, recently weighed in on the debate over whether celebrities have a responsibility to speak out on social and political matters. During
a conversation with Yuvaa, Ali was asked whether public figures should be expected to voice their opinions on social and political issues. In response, the actor said he believes art isn’t complete without politics. He said that it is important to speak up, and that doesn’t always mean making loud public statements or “shouting from a pedestal,” as there are many ways to contribute. Sonali Bendre shared a differing view, and she said that she believes one should refrain from commenting if they don’t have complete knowledge or information about a particular subject.
Ali Fazal Says ‘Art Isn’t Complete Without Politics’
Ali Fazal said that artists naturally possess a sense of compassion and cannot completely separate their work from the society they live in. Ali argued that art and politics are often interconnected. “As artists, I think we come with a lot of compassion. But art isn’t complete without politics or the society that we are living in. It’s sometimes a reflection of it. Or sometimes it takes from it. It’s almost like a little match, like a tennis game. You can’t detach from it. I respect that in this day and age, a lot of people choose not to, and it’s fine. Sometimes we all have to run our kitchens and it gets hard. But having said that I think I will always believe that we must at least do something in our own ways,” he said.
He said that speaking out does not necessarily mean making public speeches or taking a loud stance. “And everybody has their own way. It doesn’t have to be standing on a pedestal and shouting. Sometimes it takes stuff like this, people to come together, write some brilliant things, shoot it and let it speak for itself. Sometimes that’s the loudest voice. But individually, yes, that too,” he said.
Sonali Bendre Shares Her Opinion
Sonali Bendre, meanwhile, stressed the importance of expertise and informed opinion when it comes to commenting on complex issues. She pointed out that while artists may be skilled in their craft, that does not automatically make them qualified to speak authoritatively on every subject.
Sonali Bendre said she would rather refrain from commenting on a topic she does not fully understand than risk making uninformed statements. “When you say qualified, we could be an artist but it’s not necessary that me as an artist will know everything about that particular subject. So I would say that as an artist if I don’t know everything about that subject, I would rather not comment than comment wrong,” she said.
“Also if I am an artist, then that is the way I should be portraying it. And I should understand what is it. If I am a painter, I should paint it. If I am a poet, I should write the poetry. If I am a filmmaker, I will do it. If I am an actor, I will choose a subject which voices something. Doesn’t necessarily mean that I have to come out of it and comment on something which I might not be completely qualified to comment on. And I think most of them are not qualified to comment on what they are commenting on. Without understanding that every situation has a 360 degree,” said Sonali Bendre.
