Actor and BJP MP Kangana Ranaut has backed Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel’s remarks suggesting that women should learn cooking skills, sharing her views on the role of mothers and family responsibilities in a post on X.
The statement came days after Kangana reacted to the Ketan Agarwal murder case. Supporting Patel’s comments, the actor-politician shared a video clip of the Uttar Pradesh Governor addressing a gathering in Kanpur and expressed her views on traditional roles associated with women.
Recalling her childhood, Kangana wrote on X, "When we were small my brother played football and cricket but I carefully built doll houses, stitched their clothes and cooked their food, much to everyone's amusement in the house. I made small chulahs and pretended to be a doll mom."
"It is not something that we need to learn. God has bestowed on us the duty of nurturing humanity; it is our true nature. That's why women are called Devi, Shakti, Annapurna, Mata and many more such forms. But beyond all that it is such a joy to love, to feed, to dance and to nurture," the post read.
In the video shared by Kangana, Anandiben Patel was heard encouraging women to learn cooking while also pursuing professional careers.
"Women today should learn how to cook for their families. Whether you become a teacher or an IAS officer, you should first become an expert mother," said the politician.
"What is a mother's duty? To train her daughter in every way. She should not face any difficulties at her in-laws'. And if she does, she should deal with them on her own merit. We need to give that strength to our daughters," added Patel.
The Governor also referred to recent "unfathomable" incidents involving women killing their prospective husbands in defiance of their parents’ choice of partners.
Kangana’s comments triggered criticism from several social media users, with many accusing her of promoting patriarchal ideas.
One user commented, "Women are naturally good at it. But I think the time has come for encouraging men who already play this role too."
Another user wrote, "You should know what to eat and how to eat. Cooking is a patriarchy that was thrown around for a million years and it's embarrassing to see @KanganaTeam glorifying it. You won't understand the real meaning of the words Shakti and Annapoorna."
A third comment stated, "What is there to feel special about as a woman? It's just a gender, and both genders feel hungry, so both can earn and cook food for themselves. Offspring are the responsibility of both genders as parents. Times have changed but the mind is burying itself in the past. Are we really modern?"
Kangana, who has frequently voiced her opinions on social and economic issues, had recently shared advice for younger people while responding to the Siya Goyal–Ketan Agarwal case. She said that passion without a clear goal can often result in self-destructive actions.
On the professional front, Kangana has completed filming for Queen 2. The makers of the film were recently served a Rs 250-crore lawsuit by Phantom Studios over allegations of unauthorised use of intellectual property.
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