QRant: In Defence of Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh ‘Insaan’ and MSG-2

Here’s why all of us need to stop making fun of MSG-2 and Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh ‘Insaan’.

We need to stop picking on MSG-2 (Photo: The Quint).

So you like to make fun of Baba Ram Rahim Singh ‘Insaan’ and the MSG films… well you’re a hypocrite.

Akshay Kumar can make Chandni Chowk to China and Welcome, and Sallu Bhai can make Wanted and Tere Naam. They weren’t cinematic masterpieces, were they? But they are big stars and can rake in the big bucks. They have a fan following, right?

Well, so does Mr Ram Rahim Singh. The Gurgaon police has actually asked people not to come out on September 18, because of the crowds expected to turn up for MSG-2.

Is this self styled ‘god man’ being a bit self-indulgent by putting out film after film with himself as a demi-god? Maybe. But Ramdev and Sadhvi Prachi have their own pulpits, so why can’t MSG? It’s not as though celluloid is sacrosanct. After all, Gajendra Yudhisthir Chauhan is the chairman of India’s premiere film institute.

And it’s not like the Indian film industry boasts of fountains of talent anyway. Is there anything more indulgent than giving Uday Chopra film after film? And take it from me, you haven’t suffered till you have to sit through a Mimoh Chakaraborthy magnum opus.

The MSG-2 trailer does have some weirdly racist stuff. Apparantly adivasis “na toh insaan hai na toh janvar, ye hai shaitaan.” And MSG will turn them into “Insaan”.

Rahim Singh Insaan sir, I have defended you quite a bit. MSG-3 mien thoda toh sensitivity dikhana.