A decade plus old video of actor Mallika Sherawat's interaction at a press conference, where she addresses a question about her previous comments about Indian society being regressive for women, is going viral on social media as recent.
The video shows a visibly irked Sherawat taking a question from a reporter where the latter asks the actor why she has come to India to find love even after terming it as 'regressive and depressing' on an international platform.
Sherawat is seen cutting in immediately to clarify that she said, "Indian society is regressive for women." She then goes on to talk about female foeticide, infanticide and gang-rapes occurring in the country. The video is circulating on Facebook with users praising Sherawat for speaking candidly and taking a dig at the reporter for questioning the same.
The recent gang-rape of a Spanish tourist in Jharkhand has reigned the issue of women's safety in India. Sherawat's video is going viral in this context.
One of the caption reads, "Firstly, kudos to Mallika Sherawat. What an amazing woman. Second, listen to the lady reporter's tone when she rebuts Sherawat in an arrogant and hostile manner. Sanghi Media, like this, contributes to women's oppression and attempts to conceal the truth."
It is also circulating on X with similar captions.
A Hindi caption reads, "Indian media throws stones at those who speak the truth! When Mallika Sherawat ji told the truth when asked questions by media personnel, she is being silenced, this is the reality of women in our country today!" (Original text in Hindi: भारत का मीडिया सच बोलने वाले पर पत्थर फेंकता है! मीडिया कर्मी द्वारा सवाल पूछने पर मल्लिका शेरावत जी ने सच बयां कर दिया, तो चुप कराया जा रहा है, यही हकीकत है आज हमारे देश में महिलाओं की )
Video from 2013
BOOM ran a relevant keyword search and found a larger version of the video which was uploaded on October 4, 2013 on YouTube.
Sherawat was addressing the press for the Indian reality show, The Bachelorette India. Logos of the show and Life Ok, the channel which broadcast it in 2013, can be seen in the background.
In the larger version of the video, Sherawat is seen being asked a question about her previous comments at the Cannes Film Festival, where she allegedly said that India is 'regressive and depressing.' The reporter then goes on to ask, "Why do you have to come to this country and find true love if you really don't have any positive feelings about this country." The reporter here was referring to the concept of the reality show which revolved around Sherawat finding a bachelor for herself to fall in love with.
Sherawat then goes on to clarify herself and says, "I said that Indian society is regressive for women." Later, Sherawat also asks the organisers to play the interview to clarify. The journalist then says that Sherawat's comments at an international platform had caused a controversy. In the later part of the video, Sherawat stands by her comments and says, "I am never going to lie. This hypocrisy in our society has to be dealt with. Should I keep quiet when asked about rapes and honour killings in our country?"
