Mary Kom actor Bijou Thaangjam on Bollywood’s silence on Manipur violence: I didn’t even get one call or text to inquire about the situation

Actor Bijou Thaangjam, who recently called out Bollywood for not raising voice against the ethnic violence unfolding in his home state Manipur, says the silence is disappointing, even thought this is not the first time the state has faced such indifference.

The Mary Kom (2014) actor says, “Previously, too, there have been so many issues when the state and its people needed support, but nobody from this fraternity came forward. Every time, we [expect] that things will change, but nobody comes out to speak for us until and unless there is pressure from the media or social media.”

The actor adds that it’s anyway too late to react now. “It’s already been more than 40 days of violence. If they would have wanted to do anything, they would have already done it. So even if they do come out now and talk about Manipur, what’s the point?” he rues.

On June 17, Thaangjam and fellow Manipuri actor Lin Laishram, among others, led a peaceful protest to draw attention to the grave situation the state is in. Thaangjam has also been constantly posting Instagram stories, seeking support and spreading awareness on the matter, but to no avail.

“Forget about speaking on the matter, I did not even get private calls or messages from anyone in the industry to inquire about the situation. Except a few like director Omung Kumar and actors Abhilash Thapliyal and Lin Laishram, everyone saw my stories but no one responded. And that left me perplexed because I am also part of this fraternity and I expect support from my friends and colleagues,” he shares.

Thaangjam points out that despite the message of inclusivity that goes around, “when something like this happens, suddenly everyone goes quiet. This behaviour speaks of their discrimination towards actors from the Northeast.”

The 37-year-old laments: “We live in a culture where Bollywood stars and cricketers are worshipped. They have a very strong influence on people. I am not expecting them to solve these issues, but they can at least talk about how Manipur is burning, just like (actor) Richa Chadha did. This creates pressure even on the government to act soon in the matter.”

At the moment, Thaangjam is stuck in Bengaluru due to work commitments while his mother and sister are trying to help the victims. “My house in Manipur is 200 metres away from a big hospital and all the dead bodies and injured are taken to that particular place. So my sister and mother stay out the whole night, identifying bodies and handing them over to their respective families. Also, they have been contributing in safeguarding the society. I will also try and go there as soon as I can and do my part,” he ends.