Bollywood veteran Rani Mukerji, currently in the spotlight for her upcoming film Mardaani 3, has found herself at the center of a social media storm. The actress is facing backlash following recent comments regarding domestic dynamics and gender roles, where she suggested that wives should be the ones “raising their voices” at home to set a standard for respect.
The controversy began during a promotional interview with Bollywood Hungama, where Mukerji discussed the importance of how children—specifically boys—perceive the treatment of women within the household. While her initial message emphasized that respect for women starts at home, it was her specific advice on how to handle disagreements that rubbed many the wrong way.
During the conversation, Rani explained that if a boy sees his mother being ill-treated, he grows up believing that such behavior is acceptable. She stated: “Fathers need to be responsible for how they treat their wives at home, because that’s what a boy grows up seeing… Even a small thing like a father raising his voice at the mother shouldn’t happen. The mother should raise her voice at the father, that’s how it should be.”
She further punctuated her point with a lighthearted anecdote about her husband, filmmaker Aditya Chopra, jokingly saying, “Just don’t go and ask my husband what happens to him every day at home.”
While some fans defended the actress, arguing that her comments were made in jest or intended to encourage women to stand up for themselves, a large section of the internet criticized the statement for “normalizing toxic behavior.”
Critics on platforms like Reddit and X pointed out that the solution to a husband’s aggression should not be a wife’s aggression. Many users argued that a healthy relationship should be built on calm communication rather than anyone—husband or wife—raising their voice.
Commenters noted that “shouting” is problematic regardless of gender, and suggesting that one partner should dominate the other contradicts the idea of mutual respect.
Some netizens recalled Rani’s 2018 comments on the #MeToo movement, where she suggested women should learn martial arts to protect themselves, which was widely criticized at the time for shifting the burden of safety onto victims.
Despite the online “trolling,” Rani Mukerji’s supporters believe her intent was simply to advocate for female agency in a traditionally patriarchal society. They argue that in the context of her Mardaani persona—a fearless cop fighting for justice—her words were likely meant to empower women to never remain silent in the face of disrespect. To know such latest updates tuned to tellyboosters.com Thank you!
