Actor Amala Akkineni has raised questions about the media’s relentless scrutiny of celebrities in a Facebook post. In the post, which she shared on Tuesday, the veteran actress asked journalists if they would allow actors to maintain their privacy without having to explain themselves all the time.
“Will you let me age gracefully without needing to comment on how tired I look or the weight I have gained?” Akkineni wrote. Her post has gained significance after the objectionable manner in which Sridevi’s death on February 24 was covered. When it was reported that the 54-year-old actor had died after accidentally drowning in the bathtub of her hotel room, several television journalists turned detectives and attempted to deconstruct her last moments in an intrusive manner. There has also been commentary on Sridevi’s recent appearance, which was allegedly a result of extensive plastic surgery.
Akkineni, who was last seen in the Malayalam film C/o Saira Banu (2017), also complained about the news that gets mostly published about actors. “Will you let me stop colouring my hair, let me wear it short, without referring to my long tresses in Pushpak, at 19?,” she asks. “The bad hair days get captured, not the wisdom I carry, and that’s demoralizing. Surely cameras can show the depth of a person and not just the surface? Will you let me discuss meaningful things without interrupting the flow with questions on how I cook or what the season’s latest gossip demands? My inner being thrives on accomplishing things that make a difference, things I seek to complete before my physical form is put to rest.”