Veteran actor Lalit Barimoo commented on the controversy surrounding Mukesh Khanna’s remarks on women’s expression of sexual desire, saying that while everyone has the right to express their opinions, society has evolved and women today are more open about their choices and needs.Speaking to Siddharth Kannan, Barimu was asked about Khanna’s statement: “Koi bhi ladki agar kisi ladke ko kahe ‘I want to have sex with you’, toh woh ladki ladki nahi hai, woh dhanda karti hai (She is not a respectable girl and indulges in a career).”Reacting to this comment, Barimu said: “Dekhiye, Mukesh ji ko toh nahi kahunga, lekin is maamle mein Mukesh ji pichhli generation ke hain. Aaj toh shayad out of 10 ladkiyan aisa keh sakti hain.”
Culture itna badal gaya hai ki aisa ke sakti hain. Aurat ke andar aaj ke samay mein, khaaskar padhi-likhi, paisa kamane wali aur sex mein request karne wali ladkiyon ki tadaad badh gayi hai. Ab woh chhui-mui wali ladki kahaan rahi? Toh woh danda karne wali nahi hai. Woh aurat ke adhikaar ke daayre mein bol rahi hai.
(Look, I won’t comment on Mukesh ji personally, but in this case he belongs to an older generation. Today, many women can openly express such a desire.
Society and culture have changed dramatically. An increasing number of educated and financially independent women are openly expressing their needs, including sexual needs. The image of an overly shy and reserved woman is no longer the norm. This doesn’t mean she’s doing anything wrong; She is simply exercising her rights and agency as a woman.)
“Women talk openly about consent and relationships.”
Barimo pointed to changing social attitudes around the world and said that women expressing their desires should not be seen as something unusual.“America in Europe mein jahan aurat ke freedom par itni baat hui, jahan aurat orgasm tak baat karti hai, usko agar sex mein santushti nahi milti hai toh woh us Purush se naata tod sakti hai. Culture jahan aisa aa chuka hai, wahan yeh toh bahut chhoti baat hai.” (In America and Europe, where women’s freedom is widely discussed, women talk openly about orgasm and sexual satisfaction. If they do not feel satisfied in a relationship, they may choose to leave it.
In this context, a woman’s expression of desire is a very small matter.)While Barimu stressed that Khanna has the right to express his personal opinions, he added: “Yeh Mukesh ji ke vichaar hain. Mukesh ji aisa sochte hain toh theek hai bhai, usmein kya kar sakte hain. But he is not keeping up with the times.” (These are Mukesh Ji’s personal opinions, and he is entitled to think this way. However, he does not keep pace with changing times.)
“His image as a woman belongs to a different era.”
The actor also suggested that Khanna’s comments may stem from a traditional idea of femininity.“Iska arth yeh bhi nikalta hai ki agar woh jeevan mein kisi stree se sambandhbanaayein, toh aisi stree ki kaamna hogi jo aisi bilkul na ho. Aapke mann mein ek chhavi hoti hai na stree ki. Unke mann mein jo chhavi hai woh alag Tarah ki Stree ki hai Woh shayad abhi bhi 50 ya 60 saal pehle wali Bharatiya mahila, Bharatiya madhyam varg ki Padhi-likhi mahila ko dekh rahe hain (It also indicates that if he wants a partner he would prefer a woman who is not.
Everyone carries a certain image of femininity in their mind. The photo he holds seems to be from a different era – perhaps a photo of an educated, middle-class Indian woman from the 1950s or 1960s.)
