Kangana Ranaut defends calling Urmila Matondkar 'soft porn star': ‘No other country treats...'

Actor Kangana Ranaut, who is all set to contest the 2024 Lok Sabha election from Himachal Pradesh’s Mandi on a BJP ticket, addressed the controversy surrounding her previous ‘soft porn star’ remark aimed at Urmila Matondkar.

During an interaction at the Times Now Summit 2024 on March 27, Kangana stated that being labelled a 'porn star' is not a matter of shame.

The actor then brought up Sunny Leone, who is a former adult content star. She said Sunny can vouch that porn stars get utmost respect in India.

‘Is soft porn or porn star an objectionable term? No! It is not an objectionable term. It is a word that is not socially acceptable,’ she said at the Times Now’ Summit 2024.

‘Humare desh mein jitna porn star ko respect milta hai, puchiye (former adult film star) Sunny Leone se, utna respect poore world mein kisiko nahi mil sakta (No other country treats porn stars with such respect as we do…you can ask Sunny Leone,’ Kangana added.

Speaking about her comments about Urmila, Kangana added, ‘I was asked to comment on Urmila ji (Matondkar) asking on what basis was the BJP considering me for a foray into politics. That was her question. I believe there are different realms of art. Sensational art, the one we refer to as massy art, which only titillates or physically stimulates you, that is also an art form. However, that can never be superior to the art that is intellectually motivating, one which stimulates your mind.’

‘I personally believe that I belong to that balanced cinema artiste tribe. I have never done item numbers. So, all I said was that if she could join a party (Congress) with her kind of filmography, then I have a more ravishing body of work,’ she added.

Kangana went on to question the reason behind the social acceptance of a porn star as compared to a prostitute. ‘Why do we have this kind of mindset for prostitutes whereas we accept porn stars socially? Is it because they have more money? Because they have glamour? We don’t treat prostitutes the same as porn stars,’ she said.

Urmila and Sunny are yet to comment on Kangana’s recent statements.

During a 2020 interview to Times Now, Kangana made a controversial statement against Urmila.

She said, 'I saw one very derogatory interview given by Urmila Matondkar. The way she was talking about me, pulling faces, making a mockery about my struggles, attacking me on the fact that I am trying to appease BJP for a ticket. One doesn’t have to be a genius to figure that for me it is not very difficult to get a ticket. Urmila is a soft porn star. She is not known for her acting for sure, what is she known for? For doing soft porn right. If she could get a ticket, why wouldn’t I get a ticket?'

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