Star power can create awareness: Palash Sen

Singer Palash Sen strongly believes that popular faces in the entertainment industry can use their star power to create awareness about the social issues plaguing the nation because he feels they will be heard by the masses.

Star power works, feels Palash, who said: "If such people (celebrities) will come forward and say that whatever is happening is wrong and women should be respected, then people will listen to them."

The safety of women has become major a concern as crimes against women is growing at an alarming rate across the country. Recently, the brutal gang rape of a 23-year-old girl in the capital outraged the nation -- the girl later succumbed to the injuries.

"If I have power to get up on stage and sing, then I should do it. But Palash Sen is not as big as Salman Khan or Shah Rukh Khan. Main people are the actors who influence everybody," Palash told IANS.

The singer has recently composed a song "Main hoon" supporting the birth of a girl child.

The entertainment industry itself is under scanner for glorifying crime and commodatising women in movies.

"Whatever is most exposed to the audience, people would talk about it," argued Palash and added that these days more focus is on entertainment related news with "90 percent of the newspapers having only entertainment news".

Many feel the vulgar lyrics of songs lead to crime against women.

When asked about the same, he said: "There was a time when item songs were there, but there was decency. Now it seems there is competition about who will do more vulgar song?"

Palash said that filmmakers "are not thinking about what is good or what is bad? They are just thinking from the prospect of money".

He feels that the industry people think they will do something new, "then people will come to see it and this will be followed by money".