Meryl Streep's speech shocks India: Bollywood stars don't take stand, indulge in sycophancy, crawl

Meryl Streep's strong speech* at the Golden Globe awards has come as a shocker in India, where Bollywood celebrities refuse to take stand.

The stars avoid speaking up and it is almost impossible to imagine a Bollywood star daring to speak critically about any powerful politician.

Over the years, Bollywood stars have shed the 'secular' pretence.

Many of them generally support the ruling party, even going to the extent of being labelled as sycophants and bhakts.

Taking stand is something that is unheard in Indian film industry. A few dared to speak up but were bullied into silence or their movies targeted through different ways--threat of violence, boycott call or intimidatory tactics.

No wonder, Bollywood celebs are seen as spineless. The great 'Big B' or Amitabh Bachchan is known for not taking stand. He even capitulated before MNS' Raj Thackeray.

Clearly, Meryl Streep's speech has come as a wake-up call.

Twitterati asked when Indian movie stars would dare to speak up or take bold stand.

Streep had criticized President-elect Donald Trump.

On the other hand, in India, many film stars sense opportunity to cosy up with the politicians, irrespective, just to gain 'power'. Right now the race is on to become 'bhakt'. At the Golden Globe Awards, 2017, she criticised Trump and urged other artists to take stand on issues.

LINK TO MERYL STEEP'S SPEECH