Shah Rukh Khan-Sameer Wankhede Chats: Is it fair to expose the vulnerability of a star in the public domain?

Sometimes we find entertainment in others’ misery. Whenever there’s a fight in the streets or, say, whenever there’s a personal issue at your neighbours’ house. We people are so keen to know their wretchedness. On a similar note, recently, some WhatsApp chats of Shah Rukh Khan and Sameer Wankhede have been circulating on the internet. And several media publications were publishing those stories with sensational headlines. The chats took the internet by storm, and people started questioning SRK and Sameer Wankhede. But amidst this entire fiasco, people are still consuming it without considering the real truth.

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Addressing the real issue…

But the real question is – Do we as media houses, mint money out of a father’s plight? Do we have to carry such information instead of being sensitive about it? Several questions have arisen in my head, and I wonder if this is even ethical.  However, the bigger question that we have to address is not the authenticity of the chats but the fact that a father’s plight was broadcasted by the media. It looks like people at large have forgotten that Shah Rukh Khan is not just an actor but he is a father as well. 

How comfortable would you be if your emotional chats got leaked in the media? How comfortable are you with showing your vulnerable side to people who are not our family? Why are we forgetting that a father’s love for kids should be considered with respect and sensitivity? At times, his role as a father supersedes all of his other roles.

A quote from the series ‘This Is Us’ makes us realize the gravity and sincerity of being parents. The quote says, “Some people think the scariest part is coming to the hospital to have the baby. The scariest part is leaving the hospital with the baby.”

Apart from that, another question that should instantly pop into our minds is why the issue was addressed once again. Especially after the Mumbai High Court granted bail to Aryan Khan on October 28, 2022.

In such a fast-paced world, we rarely come back to things. Then why did we feel the need to come back to this story? Was it just to ruin someone’s privacy or to get meaty gossip? Or maybe because a father’s plight was an extremely clickbait headline. Or was it because the chats were related to none other than Shah Rukh Khan who is the biggest superstar of our country?

Actors privacy…

Talking about celebrity privacy, we have numerous incidents wherein we see people shamelessly disrespecting actors’ privacy. There’s an extremely thin line when it comes to privacy. We often turn a deaf ear to these things. Just because someone has signed up for stardom, doesn’t give us the right to rip off their privacy.

A couple of months ago, an issue of privacy had come into the picture with Alia Bhatt’s pictures going viral. In the picture, Alia was spotted sitting on the balcony of the house and spending some quality time. Just when the Gangubai Kathiawadi actress was chilling at her house, a cameraperson decided to barge in her privacy.

A similar incident had occurred when Anushka Sharma and Virat Kohli’s daughter- Vamika’s pictures surfaced on the internet. The mother and daughter duo were cheering for Virat while he played on the field. Later, when Virat and Anushka requested that the media pull down the images, the photos were pulled down.

Well, as a journalist, I cannot decide whether the chats are real or not. But what I can conclude from this incident is that we, as audience members or media, have to realise a person’s need for space and privacy. At the same time, rather than falling prey to clickbait headlines, we have to act as a mirror of society, showing the truth and nothing else. 

ALSO READ: Shah Rukh Khan didn’t plead with any Govt officer: Actor’s friend DISMISSES ‘fake chats’