The Kareena Kapoor Khan internet controversy began the moment when she posted on Instagram a quote by Clint Eastwood saying true luxury doesn’t lie in material possessions but the little pleasures of life. Luxuries shouldn’t be looked for on watches and bracelets and stuff, on keychains of cars and on wreaths of sailboats; instead, they define themselves in laughter, friendship, health, love, and other intangible parts of life.
The quote Kareena shared said it best: “Don’t look for luxury in watches or bracelets, don’t look for it in mansions or sailboats; luxury is laughter and friends, luxury is not being sick, luxury is the rain on your face, and luxury is hugs and kisses. Don’t look for luxury in stores or in gifts, don’t look for it in parties or events. I don’t believe in luxury; luxury is that people love you, luxury is that they respect you, luxury is that your parents live, luxury is being able to play with your grandchildren, luxury is all those little things which one can’t buy with money.
But the post has been slammed by many as being ‘tone-deaf’ and hypocritical, pointing at her lifestyle, composed of the grand Pataudi Palace and plush holidays in posh destinations like Gstaad. So well, it can be written off by someone who has had the kind of privileged upbringing she has, reaping all benefits of colossal wealth.
In turn, all of social media burst with comments about the irony of their comments. Some said that while the idea of the luxury in simple pleasures is noble, when it comes from someone who never had to worry about money or basic needs, it is very much the opposite. Among the comments read, “Easy to say when you have a palace and private jets at your disposal” or “Try saying that to the people that can barely make it from month to month”.
Others defended Kareena, noting that perhaps she really is trying to encourage mindfulness and gratitude, and an overreaction at that. The division in opinions, however, invites the gravity of talking about privilege and luxury, especially when stars live so far away from reality.
The incident is all too representative of the current debate where public figures from privileged backgrounds feel free to comment about issues that affect wealth, privilege, or luxury.
