Sara Ali Khan's trip to the Kedarnath temple has sparked a row over religion, and Soniya Bansal is backing her right to pray. The Bigg Boss 17 actress spoke up after Sara faced backlash for visiting the Hindu shrine, with reports that an Islamic cleric had issued a fatwa over the trip.
Apparently, the row began after Sara joined other devotees in line for darshan. Photos later showed her near the temple with her palms pressed in prayer. Some critics took issue with her faith, but Bansal sees no fair reason to judge a person's choice of worship.
For Bansal, Sara's bond with Kedarnath goes back quite a bit. She has made trips to the shrine before and even starred in the film Kedarnath, which dealt with romance and faith. Her work in that movie also gave her a link to the place beyond her visits as a devotee.
And Bansal had praise for Sara as an actress as well. She sees her as a talented star who acts on her beliefs and has won fans through her films. In her view, the focus should stay on Sara's work and conduct, not on which temple she chooses to enter.
The wider debate seems to bother Bansal even more. She thinks people are far too quick to turn acts of faith into fights over Hindu and Muslim identity. That habit, she argues, sets a poor example for children who should grow up with care and respect for people who follow other faiths.
Her take on places of worship is quite simple. A person may seek peace at a temple, mosque, or church, and no one else should get to judge that choice. Bansal wants such spaces to remain open to devotion and acceptance rather than serve as grounds for public disputes.
There's also the issue of what outsiders can really tell about a person's faith. Bansal argues that no one can judge what goes through a devotee's heart while they pray. She sees religion as a private choice, with love and basic human decency worth far more than public fights over belief.
Apparently, the row began after Sara joined other devotees in line for darshan. Photos later showed her near the temple with her palms pressed in prayer. Some critics took issue with her faith, but Bansal sees no fair reason to judge a person's choice of worship.
For Bansal, Sara's bond with Kedarnath goes back quite a bit. She has made trips to the shrine before and even starred in the film Kedarnath, which dealt with romance and faith. Her work in that movie also gave her a link to the place beyond her visits as a devotee.
And Bansal had praise for Sara as an actress as well. She sees her as a talented star who acts on her beliefs and has won fans through her films. In her view, the focus should stay on Sara's work and conduct, not on which temple she chooses to enter.
The wider debate seems to bother Bansal even more. She thinks people are far too quick to turn acts of faith into fights over Hindu and Muslim identity. That habit, she argues, sets a poor example for children who should grow up with care and respect for people who follow other faiths.
Her take on places of worship is quite simple. A person may seek peace at a temple, mosque, or church, and no one else should get to judge that choice. Bansal wants such spaces to remain open to devotion and acceptance rather than serve as grounds for public disputes.
There's also the issue of what outsiders can really tell about a person's faith. Bansal argues that no one can judge what goes through a devotee's heart while they pray. She sees religion as a private choice, with love and basic human decency worth far more than public fights over belief.
