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Sona vs Sona: It gets heated
Following a heated exchange of words on Twitter, actor Sonakshi Sinha (right) has blocked musician Sona Mohapatra (above). The latter shared that screenshot and tweeted: “Hahahaha! Not that I’d ever followed this bundle of talent, grace and intelligence.”
The origin of the row is in the music fraternity’s criticism of Sonakshi being picked as an opening act for pop star Justin Bieber’s Mumbai concert in May. Sona was among those who said that an actor wasn’t the right choice for a slot that should go to a singer. Sona tells us, “[The trigger] was voicing my opinion that she is unworthy of the platform being given to her on a platter by a marketing machine. I spoke out and she, in turn, chose to respond in this manner.”
Moreover, Sona adds, “I’ve watched her from the audience at a music award show, hosting [it] last year, stumbling over basic lines that she was reading from a teleprompter, not having learnt them.”
While several singers, most notably Kailash Kher, have spoken out against actors being picked over singers for big-ticket music shows, Sona’s comments were quite sharp. She tweeted on April 24 that Sonakshi was “cutting the line to pursue [an] entitled dream”.
Sonakshi has cut a single with composer Honey Singh, so is it wrong if she wishes to sing in future, too? “She’s free like anyone else to pursue any dream,” replies Sona. “But please don’t assume your dream is more valid than anyone else’s because you’re in an industry that works like an enlarged family and mostly backs only insiders.”
Even after Sonakshi stated that she’s not performing at the said concert, Sona tweeted: “You were condescending to real musicians & singers all through.” When contacted for a comment, Sonakshi texted us: “I block all trolls.” ■ monika.rawal@htlive.com