Bigg Boss 19 Controversy: Privilege vs Struggle Debate Erupts
In a moment that has sparked widespread discussion about privilege and struggle in the entertainment industry, music composer Amaal Mallik found himself at the center of controversy during a recent episode of Bigg Boss 19. The composer's definition of "struggle" left his fellow contestants amused and critical, creating one of the most talked-about moments of the season.
The New Zealand Revelation That Sparked Mockery
During a conversation in the Bigg Boss house, Amaal Mallik opened up about his professional journey, stating, "Meri bahut ladaee hai industry mein (I've had a lot of conflicts in the film industry). I wanted to become a cricketer. My whole childhood was about cricket and football. But that didn't happen. Then my first film flopped. I went back to work as an assistant, but no composer hired me."
The composer continued with the revelation that surprised his housemates: "They used to make fun of me that 'ab toh tu music director ban gaya hai' (Now you have become a music director). I didn't have any work. I was very down, so I just called my mausi who lives in New Zealand and I told her that I am coming."
Contestants React to Mallik's Definition of Struggle
An amused Gaurav Khanna couldn't control his reaction to Mallik's story, immediately pointing out the privilege in his approach to dealing with professional setbacks. "A lot of people will think that during tension where is he going? He's going to New Zealand," Khanna remarked, highlighting the contrast between Mallik's coping mechanism and what ordinary people might consider struggle.
Pranit More shared the same sentiment and added with sarcasm, "Amiron ki life. Hum log jaate thay Shirdi (Life of the rich, we used to go to Shirdi)." The comment emphasized the difference between international travel as an escape and more modest pilgrimages that common people might undertake during difficult times.
Gaurav Khanna further drove home the point by comparing their backgrounds: "I am comparing it with my journey. If I have to go, my mausi lives in Kanpur." The comparison between New Zealand and Kanpur perfectly encapsulated the privilege debate that has since gone viral.
The mockery continued with Pranit adding, "Hamara struggle itna tha ki hum ek hi trip jaate thay — to the US (We had so much struggle that we used to go only on one trip, and that was to the US). These are first world problems." To which Gaurav chimed in, "These types of problems, I can handle."
Background of Amaal Mallik's Career Journey
Amaal Mallik comes from a prominent musical family as the son of music composer Daboo Malik and nephew of veteran composer Anu Malik. He made his debut as a composer in 2014 by creating three songs for Salman Khan's Jai Ho. However, the film failed at the box office, and its music also didn't make a mark.
Despite this setback, Mallik went on to compose songs for several notable films including:
- Roy
- Ek Paheli Leela
- All Is Well
- Hero
- Airlift
The incident on Bigg Boss 19 has drawn comparisons to a similar moment years ago when Ananya Panday was schooled by Siddhant Chaturvedi after she spoke about the struggles she faced in the film industry despite coming from a film family.
This controversy has sparked broader conversations about privilege, class differences, and what constitutes genuine struggle in the competitive entertainment industry, with social media users divided between supporting Mallik's right to share his experiences and agreeing with the contestants' perspective on privilege.
