The recent alleged rape and murder of a doctor in Kolkata has ignited a nationwide debate about women’s safety.
The incident has prompted strong reactions from many celebrities and actors. Amid these responses, old comments by Shah Rukh Khan have resurfaced online. Although the actor previously emphasized the importance of educating young men on how to treat women, he had also stated in an older interview that he would teach his son, Aryan Khan, to be a ‘playboy.’
During the promotion of his film “Chennai Express” in Kolkata in 2013, Shah Rukh Khan defended the city against claims of being unsafe, saying, “This is very personal. You can’t pick on a city because it’s easiest to blame the system… The whole country, the whole world actually has issues as far as safety of women is concerned.” Addressing the increasing incidents of crime against women in Kolkata, he added, “We must change the concept of how we bring up our children at home… The mentality of not teaching boys to be gentle and respectful needs to be addressed.”
He continued, “When I talk to my son about girls, I don’t discuss girlfriends. I tell him: ‘Don’t break a girl’s heart, treat it gently. If you commit an atrocity against a woman, you will not be forgiven by your father and mother.’ We should start from there.” At the time, Shah Rukh Khan was Kolkata’s state ambassador and co-owner of the IPL team Kolkata Knight Riders.
In 2017, Shah Rukh Khan again spoke about violence against women at a charity event, saying, “It is completely wrong. I feel mothers and fathers should teach their sons to respect women. All women, as daughters or mothers, are close to my heart. It’s high time we realize and ensure they are the most respected people on the planet. They are god’s creations and should be respected regardless of their field.”
In a 2017 interview with Femina, he said, “I tell Aryan and even AbRam never to hurt a woman. If you do, I’ll behead you. And no, times have not changed. A girl is not your chaddi-buddy. Show some respect.”
However, years earlier on Simi Garewal’s talk show, Shah Rukh Khan expressed different views. A Reddit user shared a video where he mentioned, “I have just told him (Aryan Khan) that he can run after girls, smoke, do drugs, have sex, and womanize… I want him to spoil the whole city. All the girls. I want him to be a playboy.”
On August 9, a 31-year-old postgraduate student was found raped and murdered at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, leading to nationwide protests.
