There seems to be no doubt in the fact that social media is arguably the most effective communication vehicle today, in a political arena at any rate. This has therefore ensured that Twitter enables the public person to put out his or her points of view almost instantaneously, and that has resulted in celebrity tweets having emerged something of a new power able to shape popular opinion.
India, a country where Bollywood and politics both play substantial roles in the lives of people, has seen many high-profile cases where celebrity tweets made waves sometimes causing an outrage, and sometimes leading to a dialogue that created a change.
This article details some of the most noted cases where celebrity tweets created ripples in the Indian political scenario, which didn’t just create waves in Bollywood but also in India’s political corridors.
Kangana Ranaut and the Bold Stand on Farmer Protests
Kangana Ranaut is a popular Bollywood actress known to love controversy. She rarely misses a chance to speak out about several issues; she never shies away from giving strong political views on her social media page. Among the most remarkable celebrity tweets that shook the Indian politics were those by Kangana, who made statements about the farmer protests which rocked India in 2020 and 2021.
The farmer protests, which had started as a peaceful protest against three controversial farm laws that the Indian government had recently passed, soon took the shape of a nationwide movement. While many of the Bollywood celebrities kept mum or took sides with care, Kangana Ranaut took a different approach to it. She tweeted and described the protesting farmers as “terrorists,” thus indicating that their motives were politically charged rather than genuine grievances.
This tweet led to extreme backlash from not only political leadership but also some celebrities, like Diljit Dosanjh, with whom she publicly fought a Twitter war. A Punjabi singer and actor, Diljit supported the farmers. The social media war, which ensued between him and Kangana, was perhaps one of the most widely debated topics on the networking site that year.
Kangana’s Tweet opened a wider discussion related to how celebrities interact and engage with political issues related to India and questions the extent of responsibility that comes as a consequence of having high social media followings.
Akshay Kumar’s Non-Political Interview with Prime Minister Modi
He is the action hero of Bollywood and not very apolitical most of the times. Yet, he has made ripples in Indian politics with his non-political interview with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2019, whose video spread like a fire storm across social media, including Twitter.
The timing of the interview just days before the election—has raised several eyebrows and was perceived as a veiled endorsement by many of Modi’s government. Although Akshay avoided any contentious political issue, the fact that the big Bollywood actor is sitting there, having light-hearted conversations with the Prime Minister, has generated quite enough buzz online. The interview was not one of those routine interactions but felt well-timed and therefore is one of those celebrity tweets that shook the Indian political scene.
The other controversy of Akshay not voting in the elections revealed during the same period created another storm. Criticism was laid at his doorstep for not exercising his democratic right, especially when he had millions of Indians looking up to him. The whole episode reflected how celebrity tweets and interviews, even those termed non-political, can have strong political implications.
Rihanna’s Tweet Supporting the Farmer Protests
Perhaps the most international celebrity tweet to rock the Indian political scene came from pop superstar Rihanna. In February 2021, as Indian farmer protests continued to take over the streets of India, Rihanna shared a CNN article on Twitter regarding internet shutdowns in protest zones implemented by the Indian government. She captioned the article with the now-famous words: Why aren’t we talking about this? #FarmersProtest.
This main tweet had changes the impact of protest. Rihanna’s tweet, got viral by her 100 million followers, brought the world’s attention to Indian farmer protests in a manner no Indian celebrity could. Indian politicians, including BJP leaders, were quick to criticize Rihanna’s intervention. The Ministry of External Affairs even issued a formal statement accusing foreign celebrities of meddling in India’s internal affairs.
Indian celebrities like Sachin Tendulkar, Lata Mangeshkar, and Akshay Kumar tweeted in defence of the government’s statement with the hashtag #IndiaAgainstPropaganda becoming the top trending hashtag in Indian Twitter. The Tweet ended up initiating a far more extensive debate on the relevance of international celebrities trying to intervene in India’s internal political issues and has also proved that celebrity Tweets can initiate not only national but global conversations.
Swara Bhaskar’s CAA and NRC Speeches on Twitter
Swara Bhaskar is an actress who has played important roles in several films of the independent cinema fraternity and is a vocal crusader for political causes that strike her imagination. For this reason, she found an active presence on social media, and during India’s nationwide protests against CAA and NRC across its length and breadth at the end of 2019 and beginning of 2020, she voiced the most impassioned response through her tweets.
Her celebrity tweets criticizing government policies on CAA and NRC went viral – this time, for both praise and attack. Swara’s stand struck a chord among the young Indians already massing in streets protesting discriminatory laws. She pleaded for non-violent protests and joins hand in hand to fight as part of India’s secular ethos.
While the vocal opinions of Swara also exposed her to troll attacks and online harassment, she did not stop raising her opinions. Many of her tweets also grab the people attention, who were otherwise unclear about participating in the anti-CAA protests. This is the case where celebrity tweets shook the political scenario but helped shape it for civic participation and awareness.
The Force of Celebrity Tweets in Indian Politics
The truism for India is that a country so diverse and ever changing does not allow politics to be confined only to politicians. Pop stars influence public opinions as much as Bollywood and cricket. Celebrity tweets are an extension of that influence, seen in Kangana Ranaut’s views on the farmer protests, which added fuel to the flames, and Rihanna’s tweet on this issue, which shocked many but did stir debates.
Many prefer to avoid wading into such a sensitive political issue, but others have gladly jumped at the chance to exercise the might of their platforms. Indeed, celebrity tweets have been made rallying cries for social movements, called politicians to account, or even served as a source of controversy that fires online debates.
But what is evident is that celebrity tweets have now become an integral part of India’s political landscape. With the blurring of boundaries between politics, entertainment, and social media in the digital age, the power of celebrity tweets extends far beyond the personal expression of opinions. They determine the course of public opinion and, at times, the far-reaching consequences thereof.
As the lines between public figures and political influencers continue to blur, celebrity tweets are likely to become an influential tool in shaping India’s political discourse.