After an old video of actor Kangana Ranaut resurfaced on social media where she called Bollywood actor Urmila Matondkar a “soft porn star” during a TV news interview, the actor questioned why was the term “porn star” was seen to be disrespectful.
Kangana Ranaut will be contesting the Lok Sabha elections on a BJP ticket from Himachal Pradesh’s Mandi.
Speaking at a Times Now Summit on Wednesday, Kangana said, “Is soft porn or porn star an objectionable term? No. It is not an objectionable term. It is a word that is not socially acceptable. Humare desh mein jitna porn star ko respect milta hai, puchiye Sunny Leone se, utna respect poore world mein kisiko nahi mil sakta (No other country treats porn stars with such respect as we do, you can ask Sunny Leone).”
Kangana’s remarks extended to the prevalent culture of item songs in Bollywood, where she questioned the double standards in the industry. She argued that if actresses were comfortable with terms like “tandoori murgi” and “item girl,” then terms like “soft porn actor” should not be perceived as derogatory. Kangana clarified that her intention was not to shame Urmila but to highlight the acceptance of different artistic expressions in the industry.
Despite the controversy, Kangana expressed her respect for Urmila’s artistry, particularly in the realm of seduction, which she deemed as a legitimate art form. She emphasized the importance of mutual respect for diverse forms of artistic expression.
“I was asked to comment on Urmila ji (Matondkar) asking on what basis was the BJP considering me for a foray into politics. That was her question. I believe there are different realms of art. Sensational art, the one we refer to as massy art, which only titillates or physically stimulates you, that is also an art form. However, that can never be superior to the art that is intellectually motivating, one which stimulates your mind. I personally believe that I belong to that balanced cinema artiste tribe. I have never done item numbers. So, all I said was that if she could join a party (Congress) with her kind of filmography, then I have a more ravishing body of work,” she said.