Kangana’s Jibe at Twinkle Goes Viral

Known for playing roles of strong-willed women, Bollywood star Kanagana Ranaut has now come out in vociferous support of... men! The outspoken actress has lashed out on Instagram against the staunch feminist and multi-faceted Twinkle Khanna, going as far as to call the latter “a privileged brat”. So, what served as stimulus for the Manikarnika: Queen of Jhansi star’s salvo against this prolific author, columnist, film producer and interior designer? 

At a video-recorded event in December last year, Twinkle had jokingly likened men to “plastic bags”, while articulating her strong feminist stance. She was asked during the interview as to what prompted her to join the women-championing movement. “We never spoke about feminism or equality or anything”, the former actress had said in retrospect. “But it was very clear that there was absolutely no need for a man. It would be nice to have a man like you would have a nice handbag”, she went on jovially. “But even if you have a nice plastic bag, it would do.”

Married for over two decades to the Bollywood top-drawer Akshay Kumar and mother of their two children, Twinkle added, “For a long time, I felt that there wasn’t much use for them (men). They lose their hair, start wrapping the four strands round and round on their heads”, continued the woman who had in 2001, campaigned for her father Rajesh Khanna’s election in New Delhi. Twinkle added, “Luckily for most women, they (men) die 10 to 15 years before us. You have to feel a little sorry for them also. So, I had to walk backwards, realising we are not superior but sort of equals.”

Even the pacifying end to Twinkle’s sound byte, has not deterred Kangana from going hammer and tongs at her fellow-celebrity. “What? Are these privileged brats who call their men polythene bags, trying to be cool?” she said on the social media platform. “Nepo kids, born with a silver spoon and given careers on golden platters, couldn’t do justice to that for sure.” The feisty Miss Ranaut, proceeded, “The least they could do is find some joy and fulfilment in the selflessness of motherhood. That also seems like a curse in this case.” 

Kangana, who is all set to appear as former Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in the upcoming release Emergency, concluded with, “What exactly do they (feminists) want to be? Vegetables? Is that Feminism?” By the sound of it, a character modelled after the celebrated Kangana could figure in Twinkle’s next book. After all, Mrs. Kumar’s fiction novels tend to portray spirited women who venture through milieus of aging, love, loss and complex familial dynamics.