Stop thinking you know it all: Kriti Sanon to media over Sushant Singh Rajput's death coverage
MUMBAI: Days after Sushant Singh Rajput's death, his close friend actor Kriti Sanon has criticized the discourse surrounding him, which has mostly involved speculation, blame game and trolling the colleagues of the late actor.
Rajput, 34, was found dead in his Bandra apartment on Sunday.
According to Mumbai Police, the actor was under medication for depression.
In a five-page Instagram note on Wednesday, Sanon wrote how it's about time people stopped talking ill about others as everyone is fighting their own battle.
"The blame game never ends. Stop talking bad about anyone at all. Stop the gossip, stop thinking you know it all, or your opinion is the truth. Everyone is battling a fight you know nothing of. So know that any negativity coming out of your mouth, any trolling, any bitching, shows what you are, not what they are. And while most of us manage to ignore it or filter it or not get bothered by one nasty comment, it still subconsciously affects us, some more than others," she began.
The actor, who worked with Rajput in "Raabta", criticised the media culture of blind items -a gossip column where a piece is reported without taking names- and said it should be branded "illegal".
After Rajput's death, many had highlighted how salacious blind items make actors vulnerable and doubt their calibre.
"They should come under Mental Harassment! So either have proof and some f***ing guts to write the names, or don't write it at all! You write 'hear-say' and call it journalism while you have no idea how badly that can affect someone's mind, their family, their life.
Little Birdie is usually not right," Sanon, who was among the industry friends to attend Rajput's funeral, said.
Calling the media coverage around Rajput's death and his funeral as insensitive, Sanon said clear rules needed to be defined for journalism.
"What falls under 'journalism' and what comes under 'none of your business' and 'live and let live.'," she said.
Sanon, 29, also called out those criticising her and others close to Rajput for not immediately reacting to his death.
The actor said it is strange that the otherwise "trolling, gossiping world" suddenly wakes up to one's "niceness and positive side" when a person is gone.
"Social media is the most fake, most toxic place and if you haven't posted RIP or said something publicly, you are considered not to be grieving, when in reality, those are the people grieving for real. It seems social media is the new 'real' world and the real world has become 'fake'."
In her concluding comments, the "Luka Chuppi" actor said that the gender-based notion regarding one's vulnerability should be done away with as it only causes further harm.
"We need to stop phrases like 'ladke nahi rote', 'aise nahi rote', 'don't cry, be strong.' Crying is not a sign of weakness. So cry your heart out, scream if you need to know everything that you are feeling, it's ok to not be ok, but talk it out with the one you feel might understand."
"Take your time to heal. Hold onto your family and people who genuinely love you and care about you. Never let them go. They are your strength and will be by your side no matter what. So let them be around. No one is strong enough to battle life alone," she added.