Mumbai: Bollywood legend Govinda created social media whirlwind after a video went viral where he is sitting on a flight and resting his head on the shoulder of an innocent-looking girl. The video has created a furore among netizens with one and all condemning the actor’s act as wrong.Govinda is also sitting next to the girl, his head lying softly on her shoulder asleep. The girl is uncomfortable and not at ease, and the audience is made uncomfortable and apprehensive of the encounter. We have no idea who the girl is, or whether the two travelers knew each other or were related in some manner.The second the clip went viral online, social networking platforms experienced a burst of responses. A majority of the users were shocked at the act and referred to it as inappropriate and referred to Govinda as “creepy.” Others were discussing the matter of spatial awareness and consent, especially in light of the reported age difference between the actor and the girl.One of them commented, “This is not okay, no matter who you are,” and another one said, “Uncomfortable to even watch — the girl looks visibly uneasy.” Others defended the actor by stating that he was perhaps tired while commuting and did not have any idea what he was doing. Govinda, the king of sarcasm and 1990s high-speed dance music, has been spotted keeping himself at arm’s length from Bollywood in general for most of the last couple of years. Though he is still in the public eye with public outings and the occasional interview, this latest adventure has put him squarely in the public eye for all the wrong reasons. The actor has yet to comment on the video or the internet frenzy. The lack of explanation has instead stirred controversy and speculation, with discussion now spilling over into territories of boundaries, celebrity conduct on the street, and internet privacy in the age of viral clip culture.Whether or not this was an innocent second taken out of context or a moment of poor judgment, the video has obviously hit a note on the internet — creating fresh discussion about consent, perception, and responsibility, even among the celebrity elite.
