Actress and animal welfare activist, Amala Akkineni, has written an open letter to the media, addressing the scrutiny that actresses are subjected to when they age. Her letter is a dig at the media for analysing what might have caused veteran actress Sridevi’s death, where reportage bordered on speculation, with most resorting to shame the actress for plastic surgery and drinking alcohol.
Published on February 28, the day Sridevi was cremated, Amala’s letter explores all those endless comments on weight gain, wearing clothes that are not in fashion, box-office competition, and the TRP frenzy.
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“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,” she wrote in her letter.
The speculations around Sridevi’s death reached a crescendo the day before her cremation. Theories floated around on social media that her alleged plastic surgeries and her efforts to look young were the cause of her death. Soon after, it was reported that the actor might have been in an inebriated state, with several media channels focusing on Sridevi’s drinking habits.
News coverage reached a new low with Indian television channels trying to one-up each other in the race to grab maximum eyeballs. While one channel ran a headline stating ‘Maut ka Bathtub’ (Death in a bathtub), other channels widely speculated her last few minutes in the washroom. One television anchor even jumped into a bathtub to recreate the events that led to Sridevi’s death.
Read Amala Akkineni’s full letter here:
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