Prakash Raj SLAMS Bollywood’s silence on political matters: ‘Half of them are sold, afraid because they don’t have..’

Actor Prakash Raj has once again sparked debate with his bold views, calling out the Bollywood industry for staying quiet on important political matters. Known for never holding back, Raj believes many actors are either too scared to speak or have simply given in.
In a recent chat with The Lallantop, the actor opened up about why the film industry should not stay silent and why artists need to be brave, especially when their freedom to tell stories is under threat.
“Half of them are sold”
Raj didn’t mince his words while talking about his fellow actors. “Half of them are sold, my own colleagues, and half of them are afraid because they don’t have the strength,” he said.
He recalled a conversation with a close friend who admitted being scared to speak up. “I have a very close friend who, told me, ‘Prakash aap mein dum hai, aap bol dete hai, mein nahi bol pata (You have the strength, you can speak up, I can’t).’ I told him that I understand but I can’t excuse him because in future, when history would be written, it will forgive those who committed crimes but not those who were silent. Everybody is responsible.”

Don’t bow down to pressure
Raj spoke strongly about the need for artists to stand their ground when their work is attacked or stopped. He said that even though governments may try to shut down uncomfortable conversations, filmmakers must stay committed to their stories. “Any powerful government will stop discussions. Secondly, it should be within the artists also. They should also have the consciousness of the kind of films that they make, they would be willing to fight to release the film. That resilience is needed.”

No to bans, yes to choice
Raj also reacted to the recent ban on ‘Abir Gulaal’, a film starring Fawad Khan and Vaani Kapoor. The film was reportedly pulled from release in India following the Pahalgam terror attack. But Raj stood against the idea of banning films just because they might stir controversy. “I’m not for banning any film, whether it’s propaganda or not. Unless it’s promoting child abuse or pornography, why stop a film? Let people decide,” he said.