Sonali Kulkarni, who is currently hosting her own podcast, Half Ticket Full Nagrik, has once again addressed the controversy surrounding her comments on Indian women, which had sparked a heated debate online in 2023. Speaking exclusively to India TV, the actor reflected on the row and said she was not looking to explain away her remarks, but was instead encouraged that people were willing to engage in a larger conversation.
Sonali Kulkarni reflects on ‘women are lazy’ comment
The debate began after Sonali’s earlier comments in 2023, where she had described some Indian women as “lazy” and said that they depend on their boyfriends or husbands to fulfil their needs. The remarks drew strong reactions across social media, with many criticising her views.
Addressing the issue, Sonali said society often overlooks the emotional struggles faced by men and young boys. “I stand by giving respect to men in our lives. We never consider that a man can go through weak moments. Every man is not a born villain. They are human beings. And the way we protect girl child, we have to protect a boy child too. They have emotions, they have physical changes, they have hormonal changes. So, we have to be empathetic towards them.”
‘I’m happy that people reacted’
The actor said she was not concerned about people misunderstanding her comments and instead viewed the public response as part of a necessary dialogue. “I don’t think I’m in a hurry to say that someone misunderstood me. I’m happy that people listened to me and I’m happy that so many of us felt like reacting upon that. This is what a dialogue is and I’m thankful to each and everyone who reacted on my statements. I’m thankful to them because they helped this dialogue to take a step forward. If we don’t talk about it, there is going to be a lull. There is going to be a goody-goody feeling that we are such good people, loving, rich, beautiful and fashionable. Beyond that we are human beings.”
‘What is the use of my being?’
Sonali also spoke about the responsibility that comes with being a public figure. She said she believes actors should use their visibility to talk about issues they care about. “The country is facing problems about fuel. There is scare to women about their honour. There are so many social issues. There are so many economical issues if you don’t address them and if I keep wearing beautiful outfits and keep doing my photo shoots all the time and I choose not to speak about what I feel as a person, what is the use of my being?”, she said.
“I’m so happy that I’m an actor and my opinion is heard. I feel blessed at times. I mean I feel blessed every day that anything I do, it catches attention because of my profession and if I use it in a right way, it is going to make some difference because I strongly believe that I matter, you matter, we all matter to this society and to the world.”
Watch India TV’s exclusive interview with Sonali Kulkarni here:
What did Sonali Kulkarni say in 2023 that triggered a controversy?
Sonali Kulkarni’s remarks had sparked a debate after a video of her speaking about modern relationships went viral on social media. In the clip, the actor expressed concern about what she described as growing dependency among some women and urged families to encourage financial independence.
The Dil Chahta Hai actor had said, “Bharat mai bahut saari ladkiyaan aalsi hai, unko aisa boyfriend chahiye ya pati chahiye, jiske pass achi naukri ho, jiske pass ghar ho, jisko assurance ho ki usko increment milega hi milega, par us ladki mai itni himmat nhi hai ki who keh paaye ki mai kya karungi jab tum mujhse shaadi karoge. I want to advice everyone that encourage the women of your house and make them capable enough that they can take care of their expenses and also support their partner.”
She had further said that she feels sorry for many men, including her husband and brothers, who work hard to support their families, while stressing the importance of women becoming financially capable and contributing equally in relationships. The actress had later issued a statement, justifying her remarks.
