Swara Bhasker, a popular Bollywood actress, has retorted back at a stream of vile comments after a masturbation scene in a film dubbed India’s answer to “Sex and the City” that is proving a hit worldwide.
The Hindi movie has made $7.8 million in India since its June 1 release, according to Box Office India, and is in the top 10 in Britain, Australia and New Zealand.
The title of the movie is “Veere Di Wedding”, which literally means “Friend’s Wedding” in English. It has caused a stir on social media for its portrayal of female sexuality — a taboo subject in patriarchal, socially-conservative India.
Kareena Kapoor, Sonam Kapoor and Shikha Talsania star alongside Swara Bhasker in the film which was produced by a woman. The film focuses on four female friends and their attitudes towards sex, love and marriage.
Although the film has been attacked and labelled as having a shallow plot line, many critics have praised the film as a powerful statement about female empowerment.
The scene that has received the most attention is one in which the husband of the character played by Bhasker walks in on her masturbating with a vibrator.
Bhasker has received a flood of negative comments online — including vicious personal attacks — but has defended the film and her role in it.
“In a culture that largely silences or ignores or shames female sexuality showing a girl gratifying herself in a film in a non-judgemental way is empowering,” Bhasker wrote in one tweet.
In another response she wrote: “It’s okay to do something privately and not tell your parents about it. It’s called discretion.
“Do u describe your morning shit to your parents when they ask you what u did when you woke up? #logic.”
Bhasker has also received an outpouring of support from fans.
“I sometimes feel like giving @ReallySwara a hug and a truck full of chocolate.
“She deserves to get a day off from uninformed people trying to pull her down for every word she says and every role she plays,” wrote Twitter user Hannah Pillai.
Critics have likened the film to an Indian version of “Sex and the City”, the hit US television series that also portrays four friends as they navigate love and sex in New York.