Hina Khan Triggers Off A Movement

Television’s very popular star Hina Khan has a lot to be thankful for, to entertainment journalist Jitesh Pillai. His disparaging tweet about Hina’s presence at the Cannes film festival has generated the kind of indigant furore that most celebrities hope and pray for.

In what he thought to be a cleverly condescending crack at a television actress(hence according to him not worthy of being at Cannes) Pillai tweeted, “Cannes has suddenly become Chandivali studios kya?” This comment was accompanied by a picture of Hina Khan posing in Cannes.

Now , because of one star-stuck elitist entertainment journalist everybody’s is rooting for Hina Khan , and not just in Cannes. Back home in Mumbai the entire television industry has risen in one voice to support Hina’s right to be present Cannes. There is also the debate the on how much a stepmotherly treatment the television stars are given vis-à-vis their big-screen counterparts.

Then there is Salman Khan himself. He has tweeted in support of Hina Khan and against Pillai’s ridiculous remark.

Like it or not, Hina Khan has overshadowed other Bollywood divas in Cannes this year.There is more buzz surrounding Hina than Deepika Padukone, Priyanka Chopra, Kangana Ranaut or even then the Cannes queen Aishwarya Rai Bachchan.

Filmmaker Rahat Kazmi who accompanied Hina to Cannes with their collaborative film entitled Lines ,is a regular visitor at Cannes. Last year he was at the Cannes with his Film Lihaaf on the life of author Ismat Chugatai.

None of his films has generated as much curiostity and garnered the attention of Lines .

Says Rahat from Cannes, “It is amazing . The interest that Hina and our film together has aroused is unsurpassed by any of my earlier entries at Cannes.”

He admits the tweet by Pillai did the trick.

“But no one had planned it that way. We didn’t know Hina would get insulted in this manner, and that her insult would invite so much wrath from her fans, colleagues, well-wishers,” says Rahat adding that his film Lines would be Hina’s big launch into Bollywood.

In defence of the television fraternity, it must be said that some of the biggest names of the entertainment industry has come from the small-screen. Entertainers like Shekhar Suman, Ronit Roy, Amar Upaddhyay Sushant Singh Rajput and Kapil Sharma are products of television. Hina Khan is all set to make the transition from television to movies.

And yes, Rahat Kazmi promises to shoot his next film with Hina Khan in Chandivali Studio.That’s a promise and not a threat.