For the usage of the word ‘padding’ in a statement while giving an interview, Tiger Shroff was given much flak for being sexist and lacking empathy. He had said,”I don’t get involved with the casting at all. I don’t really care about the padding around me. It’s the script and my character that matter”- which dragged him in a controversy.
He has finally spoken up for his comment which was taken wrongly. He said, “I was asked what I felt about working with this heroine and that heroine. I responded saying I do not concern myself with what is beyond my own space, performance, function and responsibility when I sign a project. The ‘padding’, therefore, didn’t mean I consider women superfluous props. It applied to everything that falls beyond my own presence in a film. I would have used the same word for the director or the music director without meaning to insult them.”
Tiger explained his comment, “The reporter kept asking me about who my heroines in ‘SOTY 2’ are and she tried to also ask me if I’m pushing Disha for my films. I just meant to say that all I care about are my role and work. Everything else depends on the director because ultimately, it’s his vision, after all.”
He is alarmed at how his words are twisted these days. “I know negative news sells. So, taking one word out of context, proclaiming that I called women ‘padding’ is going to make headlines. But, it’s not what I meant to say. This is not the way I’d ever speak about women. I’ve been brought up in a home where my Mom is treated as a Goddess. My Dad would do nothing, ever, to hurt or offend my mom. And we all treat my sister as the queen of the household. Disrespect to women is not something that I’d ever consider in my attitude.”
“People who know me well know that I am not the kind of a guy to insult and disrespect women. I never called my heroines padding. I was referring to everything else about the film — how the director designs the film, shoots, and pads it up. I was talking about the structure and the padding around a film to make it larger and not about the girls at all,” added Tiger.
Shroff is now worried how his words would sound when put on a public medium.“I am, at the moment, doing non-stop press. It’s exhausting to go from interview to interview. In an unguarded moment, I may end up using the wrong word, which may, at any time, be amplified to create a shocking headline.”
He said, “Forget about disrespecting women, I try not to speak disrespectfully to anybody man, woman or transgender. And, let me tell you, as far as calling my heroines as ‘paddings’ is concerned, the leading ladies in my films have had stronger roles than me right from Kriti Sanon in my debut film ‘Heropanti’ to Shraddha Kapoor in ‘Baaghi’.”