Kangana Ranaut has expressed her gratitude to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman following the minister’s response to Jaya Bachchan’s remarks regarding the government’s treatment of the film industry. This comes after Jaya, a Samajwadi Party MP, accused the government of attempting to “kill” the industry by ignoring its struggles, which include the closure of single-screen theatres and the financial hardship faced by daily wage workers.
During the Rajya Sabha’s General Discussion on the Union Budget for 2025-26, Jaya Bachchan stated, “One industry has been totally ignored by you, and other governments were also doing the same thing. But today you have taken it to the next level. You have totally ignored the film and entertainment industry because you only use them for serving your own purpose.” She further elaborated on the plight of the industry, asserting, “Today, leave aside GST, all the single screens (theatres) are shutting down. People are not going to movie halls because everything has become so costly. Perhaps you want to kill this industry altogether. This is the only industry that connects the entire world to India.” Her plea for relief included the request, “I am speaking on behalf of my film industry and making a request to this House on behalf of the audio-visual industry, that please spare them. Please have some mercy for them. You are trying to kill this industry. Please do not do this. Today you have started targeting cinema also.”
In response, Nirmala Sitharaman’s office countered Jaya Bachchan’s claims by referencing instances of political intimidation against Kangana Ranaut in 2020, when the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, her ally, demolished Ranaut’s office in Mumbai within 24 hours. The minister suggested that Jaya should be more concerned with political intimidation within her own alliance rather than blaming the central government for neglecting Bollywood. A tweet from @nsitharamanoffc read, “Jaya Ji has alleged that the film industry hasn’t been supported by the government. However, she will well remember Hon’ble MP (LS) Smt Kangana Ranaut (@KanganaTeam).” Furthermore, the Finance Minister emphasized that “the MVA Govt, her alliance partner, in September 2020 in Mumbai, intimidated Ms Ranaut & in a notice of 24 hours, demolished her office until the Bombay High Court intervened. Jaya Bachchan Ji must speak to her alliance partners about that.”
The Finance Minister’s office also cited historical instances of political interference in Bollywood, stating, “Hridaynath Mangeshkar, Lata Mangeshkar Ji’s brother, got fired from All India Radio because his composition didn’t sit well with the Congress party. Also, Majrooh Sultanpuri was jailed. Dev Anand was threatened for not supporting the Emergency. Kishore Kumar was also pulled off air.”
In reaction to Sitharaman’s statements, Kangana thanked the minister for acknowledging the political persecution she has faced. She expressed her appreciation by writing, “Thank you honourable @nsitharaman ji for highlighting all the support and encouragement film industry getting from our government also as a woman you highlighted my struggles, how my constitutional rights were crushed by the arrogant political parties. Thanks a lot.”
This back-and-forth between Jaya Bachchan and Nirmala Sitharaman underscores the ongoing tensions surrounding the film industry and its treatment by political authorities. As political persecution remains a pressing concern, the dialogue over the industry’s challenges is far from over. The implications of these discussions may shape future actions from both the government and the film community, revealing the intricate relationship between politics and the arts in India.
