"What are we boycotting today?" reads a social media post, in jest but highlighting a much serious issue of the rot of boycott culture running deep and, often, for political reasons. One year is too large a time span to take note of, let alone make a list of the number of Boycott calls being given on social media. Boycott, a significant social tool, to bring to shake things up and make organizations behave positively has been reduced to yet another means to leverage political vendettas and indulge in moral policing.
By Friday, the hashtag Boycott Pathan had amassed a whopping over 50k tweets. Reason? A section of the people is objecting to the green and saffron costumes of SRK and Deepika Padukone in one of the songs.
It didn't take long for those opposing the boycott to cull out images of chest thumping and pelvic thrusting Bollywood of the eighties and nineties. Again in saffron-colored outfits. But more than the objections it is the recurrent and frivolous reasons that need a closer look.
Boycott calls, galore
In the past six months alone, there have been over a dozen hashtags suggesting boycott of, you name it; from chocolates to actors, to films and the Bollywood industry itself.
On Friday, during his speech at Kolkata International Film Festival, actor Shah Rukh Khan, touched upon the negativity prevailing on social media, the platforms driven by narrowness. "I read somewhere negativity increases social media consumption and thereby increases its commercial value as well. Such pursuits enclose the collective narrative, making it divisive and destructive."
Boycott Laal Singh Chaddha
It was only in August of this year that Aamir Khan faced the wrath of his political ideologies. Calls to Boycott Laal Singh Chaddha became a trending hashtag on Twitter. Unfortunately, the hashtag extended to ticket counters and despite the industry's support, the film tanked. So much so that #BoycottVikramVedha trended for a while after Hrithik Roshan praised Laal Singh Chaddha in a tweet.
Film analyst Taran Adarsh, once expressed the dangers in a post, "Stop being in denial about Boycott calls not affecting film biz. The fact is these boycott calls have made a dent and impacted the BO numbers of LaalSinghChaddha specifically. Face it."
Boycott Brahmastra
Though Aamir Khan's Laal Singh Chaddha did not do well at the box office, Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt's Brahmastra, however, survived the wrath of boycott calls. The film crossed Rs 100 crore in the Indian market, but many still admit, it would have done much better if social media hate was not at full play.
Boycott Vikram Vedha
In September, before the release of Saif Ali Khan's Vikram Vedha, the troll army dug up an old interview of Saif Ali Khan and that was reason enough to make #BoycottVikramVedha go viral on social media. "I can't name my son Alexander and realistically can't name him Ram. So, I thought why not keep a good Muslim name and hopefully bring him up with secular values where we love and respect," he was heard saying in an interview. A troll, reflecting the sentiments of several, said, "If you can't accept the name Ram, we can't accept you as Vikramaditya in Vikram Vedha."
Boycott Adipurush
Hardly a month or even any film went by without boycott calls. In October, Saif Ali Khan and Prabhas' Adipurush ran into rough weather. Just a few hours after the release of the teaser, netizens began the criticism of Saif Ali Khan's "look" in the film. According to some, he looked Islamic and unconvincing. It also didn't take long for comparisons with Lord Hanuman in Ramanand Sagar's Ramayan to follow.
Boycott Cadbury, Pizza Hut, KFC
A little earlier in February, #BoycottPizzaHut and #BoycottKFC were trending. However, when companies try to cash in on or make a mockery of issues too sensitive and political (in this case Kashmir), boycott calls can be understood, if not agreed to. A ubiquitous and trusted chocolate brand Cadbury was also not spared of boycott threats and bullying on social media. The company's campaign, released during Diwali of 2022, focused on the need to spread, light, love and happiness all around during the festive times. However, in the commercial, a doctor gifts a pack of chocolates to a poor lamp seller named Damodar. Objection, you said? A troller posted, reasoned as to why the campaign was objectionable and controversial, "It features a poor lamp seller named Damodar. It is also PM Modi's father's name." The debate continues as does the boycott culture.
