Soha is happy

Soha Ali Khan had reason to be proud. Attending a talk on youth icons in Delhi recently, when the moderator asked how many people in the hall were under 30, Soha was the only person on stage who was eligible! The other panelists, just for information, were Palash Sen, Rajyavardhan Rathore and Nikhil Chinappa. Being in Bollywood, Soha was treated like both a young person and an icon for other young people. When the ban on smoking on screen was discussed, Soha was quick to defend the industry. "I am allegedly a role model, and it’s a slightly dubious honour," she said. "India is a large country, with many different faiths and cultures existing together. It’s impossible for one person to represent all those values. We are quick to idealise our icons, but one mistake and you’re crucified. Also, my profession is very different. The film industry is essentially about entertainment. It should not be seen as just for educational purposes. Some films might betray the social fabric of the country, but I should not be taken to court for it, for instance. Cinema is an art. If it is tied down by pre-conceived notions, it cannot break the rules and recast the mould." But, she wasn’t averse to the youth looking up to people for values, as long as it wasn’t looking up to movie stars. "We should look to home and school for values and role models. My parents are both achievers, I’ve learnt a few good lessons from them and I would certainly like to use my public image to spread them further. I’m most grateful to them for my education. They value a good education very highly. And I believe, that’s what sets me apart. It gives me choices. The most nonsensical question I’m asked is, ‘If you only had to join the movies, why study so much?’ Education is an end in itself, not just a means to a job. That is where my confidence comes from." Is our youth getting ‘westernised’, as many people claim? "These tags are superficial. We all wear foreign brands and jeans that’s not westernisation. Not everything Indian is good there’s been the caste system and abuse of women, for instance and not everything western is bad. There are areas where we haven’t been able to do half as well as they have. We need to be more self-aware," she said. But, that didn’t mean she wasn’t gung-ho about what the Indian youth could achieve. "Youth is an attitude, not an age. As I see it, the advantage of joint families is that children learn values from grandparents, and they keep their grandparents young. If it can be that way in leadership, great. The youth should not replace experience when it comes to governing the country, but there should be a balance of both."