From Ram Gopal Varma to Amrita Arora, how Bollywood is being dragged into the #boyslockerroom debate

The #boyslockerroom has become the latest debilitating issue for gender rights in India. The sketchy group on social media which was created to objectify women and discuss rape has now been exposed. With the issue out in the open, it has now become a furious debate on what needs to be done, what has happened and who is responsible.

Everyone may wonder how Bollywood has a connection to all this. But, on Twitter, as war breaks out on the #boyslockerrroom, many are laying blame on Bollywood for being a bad influence and promoting skewed morality in the younger generation. A few who've been dragged into the debate are Ram Gopal Varma and Amrita Arora, on another front there are certain Bollywood actors have condemned the issue and those who were part of the group. 

Bollywood caught in the #boyslockerroom debate

If you haven't heard about the #boyslockerroom you might be one of the few. Even as the conversation is still not making it big in mainstream media, it is definitely a burning issue online as netizens debate and dissects the whole event. 

The group was basically started on social media by school-going youngsters in South Delhi, to degrade girls and doctoring images, sharing nudes, and other exploitative content. Girls and boys who were found out when a few individuals shared the activity on the group making the conversations public. This created furore due to the nature of the conversation taking place on the group that not only put down girls, objectified them but went so far to propose and discuss rape and gang-rape. 

#boyslockerroom spread like wildfire online as the public was enraged over the group and how the teenagers were doing this in their free time. It further snowballed into a debate on gender and morality, as certain sections cried foul that there were groups formed by girls who did the same thing. Nothing detracts from the fact that this group needs to be brought to task, and action is being taken by the Delhi HC. 

Moreover, many are debating what made the boys and girls engage in the group and the influences that drove them to it. Some called out examples in their life, pop culture and Bollywood. A netizen shared a picture of Amrita Arora's birthday cake, as an example of the type of content and examples kids are exposed to. 

Another post shared that perhaps derogatory opinions of Bollywood's celebrity members themselves like Ram Gopal Varma's comment on the reopening of liquor shops gave the kids the idea that being regressive and insulting of the opposite gender was alright. 

Bollywood celebs react to #boyslockerroom

On the other hand, we have certain celebrities reacting to the issue and condemning the group. It's safe to say they are not alone in being disappointed at the actions of the young members of the group and their appalling actions. 

Swara Bhasker indicated towards the toxic masculinity in our society on Twitter:

Richa Chadha discussed the need for better education, particularly sex education:

Sonam Kapoor pointed at parenting and a sense of entitlement that the teenagers possessed:

Vivek Dahiya condemned the 'shameful behaviour' as well:

Whatever the matter, justice needs to be delivered, and the root of the problem needs to be addressed.