Recently, the Indian Stammering Association (TISA) based in Dehradun has allegedly sent a legal notice to the producers of Golmaal 3 for Shreyas Talpade’s character who “mocks people who stammer”. Earlier too, Shahid Kapur’s character in Kaminey was targeted for similar reasons.
Although the association is demanding strict action, people in the city, who stammer, find this issue “petty and irrelevant”.
Inderpal Singh Sidana, a young businessman, who suffered from this problem, shares, “Rather than getting offended by such a character, I feel proud that people can also become an inspiration for a role. I enjoyed the character that Shreyas portrayed.”
Agrees Abhijeet Bhatia, a doctor who also questions the role of this association in helping people who stammer. “Has this association ever done anything for those who stammer? It’s just a ploy for them to make profit out of this negative publicity. Rather than pointing fingers at others, they should invest time and energy in helping people,” he says.
Even the city’s speech therapists share the same opinion. Satish Kapoor, a speech therapist from Healing Hands centre, thinks that portraying a funny character is not making mockery of a situation. “If roles like that of a handicap, blind or dyslexic person go unnoticed, then why is stammering being made into such a big issue? I want to tell the masses that stammering is not a disease, it’s only a psychological disorder, which can be cured with therapy. Moreover, I feel that people should just go and enjoy the film rather than make a fuss,” he adds.
Seconds Dr Sajiv Adlakha, another speech therapist, “If we point fingers at everything, soon we will have to make silent films. People should learn to appreciate art, rather than feel humiliated.”