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In a continuing debate, the Times of India (TOI) came out with a response on Monday to Bollywood actor Deepika Padukone's criticism of the media group's decision to zoom in on her cleavage.
The Finding Fanny actor, who is known for her calm and composed nature, had lashed out at TOI on Facebook saying "a character may demand that I be clothed from head to toe or be completely naked, and it will be my choice as an actor whether or not I take either. Understand that this is a ROLE and not REAL, and it is my job to portray whatever character I choose to play convincingly."
The actor also tweeted:
In response to her Facebook post, where she states that her issue is the "objectification of a real person", TOI in an unapologetic article said: "Deepika, we accept your reel vs real argument, but what about all the times, and there have been many, when you have flaunted your body off screen — while dancing on stage, posing for magazine covers, or doing photo ops at movie promotional functions? What 'role' do you play there? So why the hypocrisy?"
In an attempt to justify its decision, TOI added: "What's equally hypocritical is that several media outlets have freely displayed Deepika's cleavage even as they sounded all outraged on her behalf. Surely they could have reported the story without those pictures?"
While admitting that the video's headline "OMG: Deepika Padukone's cleavage show" could have been better, TOI said the online world was very "chaotic and cluttered" and sensational headlines were far from uncommon.
With no apparent apology from the publication, the article further stated: "It's not as if the pictures were shot with hidden cameras, or that someone sneaked into her home, invaded her privacy, and took those pictures without her knowledge/permission."
In response to the ongoing tussle, many celebrities and fans took to Twitter to share their views with #IStandWithDeepikaPadukone trending worldwide:
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On DawnNews
Sep 22, 2014 04:18pm
Respect! Deepika. Time has come to thrash these trash papers.
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Sep 22, 2014 04:22pm
TOI must apologize to Deepika for this unnecessary comment.
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Sep 22, 2014 04:34pm
Let's not blame just TOI. They wouldn't be peddling this stuff unless readers are interested. The entire country is to be blamed for this sensationalism.
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Sep 22, 2014 05:16pm
TOI is the most hopeless newspaper in the world. I don't expect any thing better. Women is free to wear whatever they want. No newspaper has any business to point out and any specific person in particular. It must apologise to Deepika..
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Sep 22, 2014 05:29pm
Journalists should learn to respect women. They are human beings and are not for sale. It is her personal choice to wear whatever she wants, does not mean it gives you the right to disrespect her or anyone.
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Sep 22, 2014 05:34pm
Why do you first show and then complain , why don't you dress like Muslim women do , then you will have no reason to complain, all this is promotional drama for her new film.
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Sep 22, 2014 05:41pm
Whoever took shot to expose Deepika Padukone first need to take shots of women in his own house and put the pictures in newspaper and see how it feels.
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Sep 22, 2014 06:18pm
Time and again TOI has proved to be a paper for third rate persons.TOI is yellow journal really.
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Sep 22, 2014 06:34pm
@zak ...Sh*&up Idiots like spoil the name of Muslims. Why don't you wear burqa for a month and see how it feels. Don't lecture women.
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Sep 22, 2014 06:44pm
@zak Why dont muslim women in Pakistan wear burkha? Do they want men to ogle them?
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Sep 22, 2014 06:45pm
I'm appalled by TOI's response. Rather than being apologetic they gave such a nasty reply .TOI should sack editor in chief.
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Sep 22, 2014 06:46pm
@zak like vina malik in supermodel
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Sep 22, 2014 06:48pm
@zak the problem is that you can't act in movie wearing burkha....it may be possible in a country like Pakistan but the entire world does not recognize this
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Sep 22, 2014 06:51pm
love you and respect you even more now deepika this happened to most of the girls in cinema but they used brain and never took stand against this cheap work. this shows your honesty your goodness that you cant tolerate if man focus on your body off screen, onscreen you do cause people want to see but you are not a doll to entertain everyone offscreen as well love you i stand by you i support you you helped girls to be brave,,,
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Sep 22, 2014 06:53pm
@zak you mean burkha....then how can you segregate different heroines??
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Sep 22, 2014 06:56pm
Gone are the days when beautiful actress don't had to bare themselves naked just to convince the audience that she so much wants the guy (hero)! Its a wisher's circle people want to see it -> media wants to show it AND people want to see it
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Sep 22, 2014 06:58pm
love you deepika
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Sep 22, 2014 07:03pm
All in all Deepika would be happy about this news... she got coverage all over.
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Sep 22, 2014 07:05pm
When you pose willingly for movie you are doing it for movie character or for the situation. However, when you are in your personal space doing your regular daily activities , taking awkward picture of you and posting it is absolutely wrong. Just to get the eyeballs putting a big circle around cleavage is totally shameless.
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Sep 22, 2014 07:11pm
What is the big deal? she is in show business and TOI just published a photo taken routinely. The people in show business cannot have it both ways and expect TOI to get permission from them before putting out a photo or news flash which they don't want. There is nothing more ridiculous than accusing TOI for not respecting women for showing a photo which is already in a public domaine. If you think showing cleavage is demeaning to women then I suggest you cover up.
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Sep 22, 2014 07:13pm
I support TOI and their claim is very valid. Deepika herself arose this matter.
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Sep 22, 2014 07:22pm
but why is this move considered humiliating??? a woman is a person as is a male a person, we did not like criticism on Aamir's photos, or on Ranbir's move in his debut film, we should in the same and equal manner should reject those who claim it to be disrespect for Deepika to show her cleavage.
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Sep 22, 2014 07:25pm
@kristin hahaha die-heart fan....or mad for deepeka ... oh poor.
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Sep 22, 2014 07:26pm
@Ash You are contradicting yourself, if Deepika has every right to wear or not wear whatever she wants ( I agree) so is the TOI which is in publishing business to print what it wants. You want to censor newspaper to preserve Deepika's right to expose herself but don't care a hoot about freedom of press. Your position is totally incompatible in a secular democratic society and you love CHINA's newspaper industry where everything is scrutinized by the State before publishing.
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Sep 22, 2014 07:38pm
I'm not even an Indian, but I believe what the Times of India newspaper did was terrible and disgusting.
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Sep 22, 2014 07:40pm
@Raja You are beyond being silly. Deepika is in show business and she gets paid for exposing whatever body assets she has and TOI is in news paper business and it gets paid for sensationalizing news. It shows both are in business of exploitation and each make money out of people like you and me. It is time you stop your sanctimonious and selective outrage. Nobody made you to buy TOI and if you don't like don't buy end of the story.
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Sep 22, 2014 07:42pm
@zak I agree that's how it should be.
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Sep 22, 2014 07:55pm
@rajasekhar : please do not comment if you do not the story in complete. Question is about highlighting and circling around cleavage of picture taken in her private life.
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Sep 22, 2014 08:01pm
Making drama out of nothing. Who cares? Indians have the internet to see 10X more filthy things on 10X prettier women, why sensationalize something so small? Controversy makes news, news sells!
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Sep 22, 2014 08:21pm
Donot expect this from India's top newspaper. They are reporting like a cheap megazine.
TOI should morally apologise deepika for this piece of reportage.
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Sep 22, 2014 08:49pm
If she showed it and let it all hang out, why is it the journalist's fault for showing to the world what she showed to others closeby?
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Sep 22, 2014 08:56pm
TOI published some bogus news before. but I am with toi. Deepika is on show business. and the pics are taken on pulic meeting. I think she was angry because she was not paid for that pics.
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Sep 22, 2014 09:16pm
@Safia you are so right
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Sep 22, 2014 09:21pm
@zak go to you tube and search for Pakistani women. You will know what they wear and how they behave.
I do respect Pakistani women and so do Indian and women everywhere. Stop making cheap comments and respect all women (from all countries). Do not provoke people to respond in negative manner.
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Sep 22, 2014 09:33pm
All the points presented in support of both sides are valid. She is in the business of sensationalism, so is TOI. She needs all the eyeballs to get maximum coverage, so is TOI. Both are in the business of exploitation and getting maximum ratings, money. Hence to be fair to her anguished post, TOI should immediately post a picture of any hero, zooming in on his 'crotch' area. Highlight the 'crotch' area while pointing arrows towards his 8 pack abs. This would even out the blame game and show that TOI is not discriminating only against women by objectifying them. Heck, to be fair to the 3rd gender, should post a pic of them too while highlighting their private parts as well.
Zak: Inspite of people telling you to shut up, think I like your sense of humor. If one a lady is in Burkha, all that can be highlighted and pointed at with arrows are the eyes. case closed.
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Sep 22, 2014 09:46pm
@rajasekhar If a woman is in a show business, it doesn't mean you disrespect her. So learn to respect others.
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Sep 22, 2014 10:03pm
whats the big deal with people here I don't get it. You show as much flesh as you can on the TV but if they caught you a little off gaurd then what is the big deal?
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Sep 22, 2014 10:04pm
TOI's so-called response completely missed the point. The idea is not the Deepika often dresses provocatively, but that TOI made a salacious, exploitative headline of her wearing whatever she was wearing.
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Sep 22, 2014 10:15pm
I cannot believe that this is in our new. Who is Deepika anyway
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Sep 22, 2014 10:17pm
Come on deepika. Don't be VIna malik..
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Sep 22, 2014 10:20pm
Deepika as a movie professional is different from Deepika as a person. She was an accomplished sportsperson of National level she came into movies. People have to respect that. Why should one peek into her blouse in a public place and have an eureka moment? And worse, how could they post such a picture and call it 'entertainment'? And, this is height of arrogance, why should they post more pictures of her in the 'news paper' and try to justify the initial stupidity? TOI has gone nuts.
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Sep 22, 2014 10:39pm
deepika, may be ur big shot newspaper wants u to wear burqa
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Sep 22, 2014 10:50pm
Deepika fails to understand that skin sells nowadays. People will watch anything again and again, with the post receiving hundreds of thousands of hits of there is cleavage n other stuff exposed. Grow up please. Or simply cover yourself up if you don't liek it. We men will see whatever our eyes feel like.
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Sep 22, 2014 10:59pm
Result of Bollywood movies I guess?
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Sep 22, 2014 11:12pm
Do not usually comment on these frivolous topics...however...a word of advice to the actress in question...what you sow is what you reap...vulgarity by a person or media is kind of a same thing...so stop complaining and please don’t be a cry baby...otherwise dress and behave modestly like an ordinary person and then you may claim moral high ground... :)
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Sep 22, 2014 11:25pm
I stopped buying TOI from today
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Sep 22, 2014 11:27pm
I stopped buying TOI from today
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Sep 22, 2014 11:33pm
"Will somebody PLEASE think of the children?"
10 points if you know where that is from and what it means in this context.
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Sep 23, 2014 01:58am
Times is absolutely wrong and disrespectul in their coverage of Deepika story and again they are wrong the way they are defending their mistake in their editorial ... TOI needs to understand the difference between Deepika's right and choice and ethical guide lines they should follow. They made a poor decision to sensationalize and a blunder to defend to defend poor journalism. I'm sure TOI, your standards are better than this. Acknowledge your mistake, apologize and stand up for Deepika and other women's right to choice, liberty and freedom. Salute to Deepika's courageous stand for herself and others.
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Sep 23, 2014 03:25am
Please visit times of India then compare it with Dawn
TOI over last many years has almost become a poorn and crap of India. They just publish articles where they know people will click
Eg. I just navigated to their site and there on top are 2 videos and news
Celebrity Sex Scandals! ( Yea the common man does not have a sex scandal so is happy to read about other sex scandal )
Unknown facts about Kareena ( As if I give a shiit)
Most Divorced Celebrities ( Good on them )
Katrina: I care for Ranbir and am protective about him ( Thats very nice to know )
TOI is the most popular news paper in India and its really disgusting that they do not have anything better to report on
they should change name to Gossip and Pooorn of India
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Sep 23, 2014 05:01am
@Ash so well said !!
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Sep 23, 2014 05:41am
@rajasekhar
You Indians, what China has to do with this story. Stop hating China for what they did to your Army in 1962. Your soldiers left their post with pants down.
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Sep 23, 2014 11:50am
I really like Deepaka and respect her as an actress. However, she must accept that the film industry all over the world is about objectifying both men and women and photos or tweets like the one from TOI is par for the course. Slightly Hypocritical of Deepaka I say.
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Sep 23, 2014 12:28pm
@zak - It funny how you deliberately provoke them to see how they all gang up on you :)
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Sep 23, 2014 02:24pm
East or West. Burkha is Best.
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Sep 23, 2014 09:59pm
Who can respect Dapeeka when she does not respect herself. Such hypocrites; they portray themselves as objects and then criticize others when they are viewed as objects.look wjo are defendig her: the ones tjrive and prosper on objectification of women :)
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Sep 24, 2014 01:03pm
Give them a chance and they will talk.
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Sep 24, 2014 10:52pm
Had the same magazine celebrated and glorified her private life, she and th "liberals" would have all praise. Hypocrisy is so ugly, women objectifying women are so ugly...
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