What Yogi Adityanath said on Boycott Bollywood trend

"Actors and artists must be respected, but it is also important for filmmakers to respect sentiments of the masses," the chief minister said.

Lucknow, Feb 03: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday addressed a lot of issues including the 'boycott' trend in Bollywood and the upcoming film city in the populous state.

In an exclusive interview to India Today, Yogi Adithyanath talked about the ongoing divide in Bollywood and said, "We are to unite, not divide and film city in UP will bring everyone together".

"Actors and artists must be respected, but it is also important for filmmakers to respect sentiments of the masses," the chief minister said.

It may be recalled that Bollywood actor Suniel Shetty had requested Yogi Adityanath's help to do away with the 'Boycott Bollywood' trend on social media while requesting him to seek Prime Minister Narendra Modi's help to clear the stigma around the Hindi film industry.

"I want to talk about this hashtag that's going on - 'Boycott Bollywood'. It can stop if you say something about it. We are doing good work," PTI quoted Shetty as saying in a meeting which was attended by Bollywood dignitaries.

Shetty further requested Adityanath to seek Prime Minister Narendra Modi's support in clearing the stigma around Bollywood. "It pains me to see this stigma. Ninety-nine per cent of the people here are good. So, please Yogi ji, take the lead and talk to our prime minister about erasing this stigma," he added.

What is Bollywood boycott trend?

The "Bollywood boycott" trend gained momentum on social media sites following actor Sushant Singh Rajput's demise in June 2020. People started questioning how nepotism is affecting India's leading industry. Movies like Aamir Khan's 'Laal Singh Chaddha', Anurag Kashyap's directorial 'Dobaaraa', Vijay Deverakonda-starrer 'Liger', and many other films have faced boycott calls from netizens.

Some social media users calling for a boycott of Bollywood films, celebrities, and their content. The boycott call was made to protest against the perceived silence of Bollywood celebrities on the farmer protests and other social and political issues.

The trend triggered an intense online discussions and debates, with some supporting the boycott call and others criticising it. While the impact of the boycott on the Bollywood film industry is yet to be seen, it has brought attention to the role of the entertainment industry in addressing social and political issues.