Mumbai: Veteran singer Anuradha Paudwal has sparked controversy with her recent comments on marriage, the LGBTQ+ community and changing societal norms.
Her comments have since drawn significant backlash, with several social media users accusing the singer of expressing insensitive and ill-informed views about the queer community.
The remarks were made during her recent appearance on Shubhankar Mishra’s YouTube podcast, where Anuradha was asked whether she believed the institution of marriage had weakened in India over the years.
To this, Anuradha replied, “The sanctity isn’t left in marriage. The reason is the rights given to the LGBTQ community. How are they contributing to society? I would like to know. In what way are they contributing? It is fine until a girl and a boy get married and start a family; they are doing it the right way. But with the LGBTQ community… I keep seeing such things every few days. How is it contributing to the welfare of society? Maybe I have missed a point, but how are they contributing to society?”
The singer’s remarks drew criticism from several social media users, who questioned her understanding of the subject and criticised her for commenting on an issue they felt she was not sufficiently informed about.
One wrote, “Well.. I’ll tell you how they are contributing. They are willing to legally get married, Legally adopt children who were thrown away by HETERO sexual people and that says everything! STOP GIVING MICROPHONES anyone and everyone…”
“This is like asking ‘How do left-handed people contribute to society?’ Being gay is a sexual orientation, not a profession or a social role. Gay people contribute in every field of life. The real measure of a person is their character, compassion, and work—not whom they love,” another commented.
One user mentioned, “@paudwal.anuradha_official you have definitely missed not ‘a point’ but many points. A lot of people like you and me have made enough ‘contribution’ to the society. That’s how we are the country with the first rank in only one category: of being the country with the highest population. In fact, we have to be grateful to gay and lesbian people who have brought a small drop in that population. What is more important is that you need to open your eyes, your mind more and your mouth less.”
One user wrote, “Ma’am, homosexuals are contributing in the same way as heterosexuals are. They are doctors, engineers, artists and taxpayers. Even when they have been denied equal rights, they show up every day. Like you sing bhajans and some singers perform rock or metal. Wouldn’t it be ridiculous to ask what your contribution to music is because you don’t sing rock?”
A disappointed user shared, “Wow! This has shook me. I don’t ever want to listen to her songs anymore. From being her fan to hating her. She’s in her JK Rowling era.”
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On the work front, Anuradha made her singing debut with a shloka in the 1973 film ‘Abhimaan’, which starred Amitabh Bachchan and Jaya Bachchan.
She went on to lend her voice to films such as ‘Kalicharan’ and ‘Aap Beati’ before gaining wider recognition with the blockbuster ‘Hero’.
The singer enjoyed a particularly successful run in the 1990s, delivering popular songs in films including ‘Aashiqui’, ‘Dil Hai Ki Maanta Nahin’ and ‘Saajan’.
In recent years, she has primarily been associated with devotional music.
