Trolled for show, singer Silajit defends artistes’ livelihood

KOLKATA: Amid the ongoing RG Kar Hospital protests, several celebrities, including Sohini Sarkar and Swastika Mukherjee, have actively participated in protests.

However, they have been subjected to online trolling for promoting their work on social media while standing in solidarity with the protests.

Now, singer Silajit Majumdar, scheduled to perform on September 14, has also found himself the target of similar criticism. On Tuesday, Silajit addressed the situation through a video message on social media. He said like politicians, journalists, engineers, and auto drivers, artistes, including singers and actors, must also continue working to earn a livelihood.

The singer previously postponed his performance, but a new date was announced. Several Tollywood celebrities like Dev and Srijit Mukherji have shared Silajit’s video.

The singer, who recently acted in ‘Ajogyo’, said that trolling is inevitable but also made an earnest plea to his audience and fans, asking them to avoid making uninformed and unnecessary comments.

“I managed to perform after my father’s passing but I couldn’t do the same after Tilottama’s death,” said Silajit, who was seen in several protest marches. Drawing examples from everyday professions such as clerks, politicians, tea sellers and vegetable vendors, Silajit said that just like others, artistes rely on their work to make a living. In his message, he clarified: “Yes, artistes may be exceptional in certain ways but at the end of the day, we’re regular people with jobs to do. Just like farmers work their fields, we work in our

respective fields.”

Silajit concluded his video with a request. “Whatever you say or do, take a moment to think with a clear head before passing judgment or taking action. We’re going through a very difficult time and a single word can cause unnecessary harm. If you can’t support us, at least don’t say anything that adds to our pain or the pain of others. Let the protests continue. We want justice.”

Recently, Sohini was trolled after her appearance in a puja advertisement for a saree brand went viral. Swastika has also faced similar trolling after sharing the first look of her Durga Puja Bengali release, ‘Tekka’.