Filmmaker Karan Johar, in his recent interview, admitted that he did mistake by incorporating item numbers like Chikni Chameli and Mera Naam Mary Hai in his previous films that were subjected to objectification of women. However, Katrina Kaif, who has seductively danced to songs like Chikni Chameli, Husn Parcham, Sheila Ki Jawani wearing skimpy clothes, said that she never felt objectified while performing on such songs.
"I have gone on record and apologized that I have had item songs in my feature films and I don't think I would do it again. I have no problem with like a girl dancing, that's not an item number. An item song is when she is objectified and when there are men lusting for her like 'Chikni Chameli'. I don't think I would ever do that again. It's never gonna happen in a Dharma Productions film and I will make sure of it. Like 'Desi Girl' is not an item song but 'Chikni Chameli' is. And, I don't think I would do it," Karan Johar said in an interview with Film Companion.
Responding to Karan Johar's pledge to not have anymore item songs in his feature films, Katrina Kaif told DNA, "Oh, I didn't know that was said, but I feel very differently on the matter. I feel it's all down to the individual who is performing the song. Madonaa, who I'm sure we all know of, I don't think she is feeling objectified. I don't think Beyonce who performs in a swimsuit on stage is feeling objectified. It's all about how you feel while you are performing that song. I can tell you, I never felt objectified in 'Chikni Chameli'. I enjoyed that song. I enjoyed the dance, I enjoyed what I was doing. I didn't even for a moment felt objectified or brought any kind of wrong eyes on me. Not at all."
She further added, "There are many times when people ask me for songs and there's no context to it. I won't do it, nomatter how much I feel about dance. We don't need to characterize it that every song that a woman is celebrating herself and performing, that's not objectifying women. It all depends on the angle and lens it's being seen."
