Despite Suniel Shetty’s appeal, #BoycottBollywood tops trends again; memes & jokes float on Twitter

New Delhi: Amid controversies around ‘Pathaan’ and Suniel Shetty’s appeal to stop the ‘Boycott Bollywood’ trend, the trend has again surfaced on social media. Hindu outfits seem to be outraged by the portrayal of their religion and deities in Hindi films and from particular films and stars, the trend is now affecting every film finding a release in cinemas.

Actor Suniel Shetty, during Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath’s roadshow in Mumbai, urged the CM to take the lead and stop the ‘Boycott Bollywood’ trend. He stated that most of the people in the industry are good and if there are some ‘rotten apples’ that does not make the whole fraternity evil.

Suniel Shetty met Yogi Adityanath and addressed the elephant in the room: #BoycottBollywood pic.twitter.com/Q9xUlTHQ1m

— Brut India (@BrutIndia) January 6, 2023

While some came to support him, #BoycottBollywood along with #SunielShetty is trending on Twitter.

Dear Sunil Shetty,in Rudraksh, weren’t you villain who does evil things under influence of Rudraksh??

Then in SRK’s Main Hoon Na,you were the rogue H!NDU officer who doesn’t want peace between India & P@k (great neighbours as per SRK)

Ab #BoycottBollywood ka aa gaya swaad?? pic.twitter.com/ubG07Tu21L

— PallaviCT (@pallavict) January 6, 2023

Let’s clean up #Bollywood #BoycottBollywood pic.twitter.com/DtQQ12ggZN

— Kreately.in (@KreatelyMedia) January 4, 2023

Meanwhile, BJP, India’s ruling party’s members are among the people who are fuelling this trend.

योगी जी से बोले अभिनेता सुनील शेट्टी #BoycottBollywood आपके कहने से रुक सकता है।
ये हिंदुत्व की ही ताकत है जिसने हिंदुओं का मजाक बनाने वाले बॉलीवुड को हिंदू ह्रदय सम्राट से यह गुहार लगाने को मजबूर किया। pic.twitter.com/9dXjim3UrS

— Harsh Chaturvedi BJP (@harshcha) January 6, 2023

This is just after 26/11 “I am from Pakistan, my father & his family is Pakistani. I wanted Pakistani players in my team (KKR), they’re the best players in the world.” This is exactly why we need to Boycott Bollywood Forever & Boycott Pathan.??? pic.twitter.com/ROyHYsWlSI

— Tapash Roy ?? (@Roytapash) December 31, 2022

Isn’t it enough reason to #BoycottbollywoodCompletely … ???
Then just do it …..#BoycottBollywood #BoycottBollywoodForever #Kashmir #HaldwaniEncroachment #VarisuTralier #JainCommunityProtest pic.twitter.com/YBFDZIB2ru

— BHARAT KUMAR (@BHARATK67053857) January 5, 2023

On the other hand, people also came in support of Suniel Shetty and asked for the boycott to stop.

बाबा को लगता था यूपी है.. यहाँ कोई कुछ नहीं बोलेगा। लेकिन #SunielShetty ने अपने तरीके से बता दिया कि बायकॉट गैंग को बंद करिये वरना यूपी में तो कोई नहीं आएगा।

https://t.co/1fPfXfSaRa pic.twitter.com/waM8NnYKKS

— Sameer Shaikh (@isameerking) January 6, 2023

#SunielShetty issue of #BoycottBollywood is of concern. Mumbai’s Bollywood has a organic history of more than 150 years.
#BollywoodKiGandagi is propogated by mentally bankrupt bhakts. @myogiadityanath @SunielVShetty pic.twitter.com/TzzjdlQVSL

— Charan Singh Sapra (@Charanssapra) January 6, 2023

The trend which began with Sushant Singh Rajput’s suicide turned into a witch hunt for Bollywood celebs and an attack on the art as well as the artists. The films are struggling with the numbers at the box office and ‘Laal Singh Chadha’ was an example of the same. Th trend has not stopped on just Twitter, but like Bajrang Dal and other Hindu outfits did with some previous films, threats and vandalism for ‘Pathaan’ has begun.

#WATCH | Gujarat | Bajrang Dal workers protest against the promotion of Shah Rukh Khan’s movie ‘Pathaan’ at a mall in the Karnavati area of Ahmedabad (04.01)

(Video source: Bajrang Dal Gujarat’s Twitter handle) pic.twitter.com/NelX45R9h7

— ANI (@ANI) January 5, 2023

Amid all the controversies surrounding the boycott and the song ‘Besharam Rang’, ‘Pathaan’ is set to hit the theatres on January 25.