Janhvi Kapoor’s Thoughts on Ambedkar, Gandhi, and Casteism Leave Internet Stunned; Netizens Say ‘Unexpected Yet Impressive’
Janhvi Kapoor is currently promoting her upcoming film Mr. & Mrs. Mahi. The actor is visiting different places and appearing for several interviews. In one such interview with Lallantop, when asked about her interest in history, the Gunjan Saxena actor revealed her curiosity about the ideologies of Ambedkar and Gandhi.
What Did Janhvi Say During the Interview?
When Janhvi mentioned in an interview that she has a keen interest in history, the host asked her which period she would like to go back to. The actor said that she would answer the question honestly but requested the host not to dig deeper into the subject, as her views might not sit well with the audience. She then shared that she would like to witness a debate between Mahatma Gandhi, the Father of the Nation, and BR Ambedkar, the Founding Father of the Indian Constitution, on their views about casteism.
Listening to this, the host was pleasantly taken aback and ended up asking her more. The actor then said, “I think Ambedkar was very clear and stern from the start about what his stand was. But I think Gandhi’s view kept evolving as he got more and more exposed to casteism. Ye jo jativaad ka samasya hai humare samaj mein, ek third person se jaankari lena aur usey jeena, usmei bahut farak hai, bahut antar hai” (this issue of casteism that we have in our society, to gather information from a third person and to actually live it, there’s a huge difference there).
When the host asked Janhvi if she ever witnessed a conversation about caste in her school, she refused. “In fact, mere ghar mein kabhi caste ko le kar koi conversation nahi hui” (there was no conversation around caste even at my home).
Netizens’ Reaction to Janhvi’s Answer
The internet was divided about what Janhvi said. While some users praised the actor for her knowledge, others also trolled her. A user on X wrote, “Very rare to see such a level of understanding and study (applause emoji).” Another user said, “Yeah, it’s surprising… That too from a new-gen Bollywood actress… And she knows what she is speaking about… Apan bohut prejudiced hain inke liye lekin (we’re very prejudiced about them but) she is so clear in her mind.”
One of the users who did not seem to like the answer wrote on the micro-blogging site, “Lol, except taking two famous names, what intellectualism did I miss here?” Another wrote, “I tried hard to see what it is that she had said that was so exceptional. Anything she said could be said of any two prominent politicians before 1947. Had she said that Gandhi and Ambedkar didn’t have and couldn’t provide answers to complex social questions.”
Janhvi made her Bollywood debut in 2018 with Shashank Khaitan’s romantic drama Dhadak, a Hindi adaptation of Nagraj Manjule’s 2016 Marathi film Sairat. Next, she will be seen in Mr. & Mrs. Mahi, Devara: Part 1, Ulajh, Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari, and Suriya’s upcoming project.