News channels have been constantly covering the speculations surrounding the drug allegations against actor Rhea Chakraborty and the other celebrities she has apparently named.
And now they have begun reporting Sara Ali Khan and Rakul Preet Singh’s involvement. But that’s not all, it is the way they have been reporting it that is the problem. With pictures of the actor in skimpy clothes making prime time news, Twitter decided to call out Times Now for their insensitive and sabotaging ways.
It’s really weird how news channels pick photos of women in certain kinds of clothes to present them as deviants.
— Andre Borges (@borges) September 12, 2020
This isn’t, of course, a new thing. But it’s extremely problematic. Don’t see shirtless pictures of men being spewed with “USED DRUGS” pic.twitter.com/HrQvWFEefp
Users pointed out that the news channel was using images of these actors in bikinis to feed the stereotype that they wanted them to portrayal. This sensationalisation of the news, and a ‘used drugs’ banner flashing across the screen, did not sit well on social media.
Times Now specifically uses pictures of Rhea and Rakulpreet in skimpy clothes.
— Abhishek Baxi (@baxiabhishek) September 12, 2020
Usually, these photos will be avoided on news shows, but there is a deliberate intent to ‘characterize’ these women. It’s creepy, regressive, and very pathetic.
And this show is helmed by a woman.🤮 pic.twitter.com/txgMRG83CZ
I mean, I’m sure there’s ONE other photo of her and others that could have been used. It’s an obvious ploy to play on regressive tendencies of viewers, to further villainise the women in this case.
— Andre Borges (@borges) September 12, 2020
And the picture looks all the more deviant with the ‘holier than thou’ lady clad in nine yards of purity
— sharmistha ghosal (@sharmidas) September 12, 2020
It’s wrong to think that the type of clothes a woman wears decides her status but we can’t deny the fact that the media knew what they were doing when they used the pic. Majority of their demographic wouldn’t include open minded ppl so the channel used it to their advantage
— Hari (@hobbledhoy) September 12, 2020
Yes, doesn’t happen with Kangana. Initially they couldn’t find a single picture of Rhea without Mahesh bhatt in it.
— Meera Mohanty (@meeramohanty) September 12, 2020
Whenever you think the bar can't be lowered further, this channel says Surprise!!!
— Naomi Datta (@nowme_datta) September 12, 2020
Reports stating that Rhea had taken the names of 25 Bollywood celebrities were circulated. This list allegedly included names like Sara Ali Khan, Rakul Preet Singh, and Simone Khambatta. However, NCB’s director KPS Malhotra dismissed these reports and said that no such list exists and no Bollywood celebrities were named.
