Actor Divya Unni has reacted to the viral video of her AD poster being spat on by men, while the other posters on the same wall belonging to male politicians remain clean. The viral video raises questions about how women are treated in this country, even with such alleged passive-aggressive activities.
There’s not even a single day in this country when we do not come across the horrifying news of crime against women. It has sadly become a part of our routine to read distressing news and simply scroll away. As disturbing as it is, there are innumerable instances of eve-teasing, cat-calling, or making derogatory, explicit gestures to women that go unreported in India. In light of the same, another instance has caught everyone’s attention on the internet.
A viral poster from the very famous Sensodyne toothpaste ad that shows a woman (actor Divya Unni) holding an ice cream bar has sadly caught the attention of men’s distasteful behaviour towards women. The poster has been spat on with tobacco and paan by men, while other posters of male politicians on the same walls remain untouched, raising questions about underlying misogyny and passive-aggressiveness towards women to tear them down or disrespect them in whatever means possible.
Divya Unni Reacts To Her AD Poster Being Spat On By Men
Now, the actor herself has reacted to the same. Sharing a video on her Instagram, she said, “Over there, it is not me Divya Unny, on that poster; it is just a woman’s face, that could be any woman. I can’t take it personally, ki Divya Unny ke face pe thooka (spat on Divya’s face). I’m not going to do that because it would be a thoughtless reaction. Yes, did I feel a little upset or disturbed about it, absolutely I felt disturbed about it. But if you compare this to what women in this country go through, from little girls to women in their 60s and 70s, this doesn’t even come close. It’s not even worth my fingernail compared to the violence and mistreatment they face. It’s just a group of men spitting.”
She added, “Yeh bilkul sharamnaak baat hai, lekin kya yeh naaya news hai? In India’s population, the majority of men don’t respect women. They can’t think about women’s POV. They don’t even think of women as human beings. Jo aurton ke saath ho raha hai is desh mein, jis tarah se unki zillat ki jaa rahi hai, unhe maara jaa raha hai, dabaya jaa raha hai, uske khilaaf main ladne ki koshish karungi, uske upar filmein banane ki koshish karungi taali unka mindset change ho (What is happening to women in this country? The way they are being humiliated, assaulted and oppressed—I want to fight against that. I want to make films on these issues so that people’s mindsets can change).”
“Kyunki yeh mindset problem hai, upbringing problem hai, generational issue hai jahan pe jab tak humare desh ke men don’t realise how their thinking is wrong, our little boys are not brought up properly, this issue is not going to get resolved. Jo mere poster ke saath hua that is not a big deal, but as a woman, i have never felt so unsafe ever, and I am going to try and change that in my own way ( As this is a mindset problem, an upbringing problem, a generational issue. Until the men in our country realise that their way of thinking is wrong, and until we raise our boys differently, this issue is not going to be resolved. What happened to my poster is not a big deal, but as a woman, I have never felt this unsafe before, and I am going to try to change that in my own way),” She concluded.
About Divya Unni
Divya is an actor, writer, and director. She made her Bollywood debut opposite Manoj Bajpayee in Traffic.