Sutapa Sikdar urges Gen Z: Drop patriarchal abuses, find new language
Synopsis
Sutapa Sikdar — screenwriter, producer, and widow of Irrfan Khan — praised Gen Z's protest spirit but called out its failure to shed patriarchal language, specifically Hindi abuses that invoke women's bodies. Her Instagram note is a rare, pointed challenge from a Bollywood insider asking a celebrated generation to hold itself to the same standards it demands of others.
Key Takeaways
Sutapa Sikdar posted a note on Instagram Stories on Sunday, 2 August addressing Gen Z on abusive language.
She expressed full support for Gen Z's protest movements while criticising the persistence of patriarchal Hindi abuses that sexualise women.
Sutapa argued that true generational change requires cleaning up 'every problematic practice', not just selective causes.
She warned that Gen Z is passing the same abusive language down to Generation Alpha .
She ended with a light-hearted challenge: invent new abuses that do not demean women.
Screenwriter and producer Sutapa Sikdar, wife of the late actor Irrfan Khan, took to Instagram on Sunday, 2 August to address Generation Z directly, calling out the persistence of patriarchal and misogynistic language even among a generation she otherwise admires for its activism and fearlessness.
What Sutapa Said
Posting on the Stories section of her official Instagram handle, Sutapa made clear she stands firmly behind the protests that Gen Z has championed. 'I support the protest and love this fearless generation,' she wrote, before pivoting to her central concern. She noted that one thing has remained unchanged across generations — from the 'bloomers' era to the present — and that is abusive language.
Her specific critique targeted Hindi as a language where, she argued, women's private parts are routinely weaponised as insults. 'Hindi abuses mostly using women's private parts. I thought this generation would be more imaginative and not patriarchal,' she wrote, expressing disappointment at what she described as a failure of creative and moral reform.
The Broader Call to Action
Sutapa urged Gen Z not to be selective about which problematic practices they challenge. Her argument: if this generation genuinely wants to break free from inherited social structures, it must examine every corner of its behaviour — including the casual language it uses online and in public spaces. 'When you want to break-free, clean every problematic practice,' she wrote, adding that she was 'disappointed' to see the same abuses being passed down to Generation Alpha.
The Sign-Off That Got Attention
Ending the post on a deliberately light note, Sutapa challenged Gen Z to innovate. 'Same choice derogatory to a woman. I don't care who they are hurling these at but mind your language guys.. it's not cool towards woman. Teri maa ki aur behen ki is out dated.. why don't you try some new ones,' she wrote. She captioned the post: 'A friendly advice to genZ fraands #genz #change #discover.'
Why This Resonates
The post arrives at a moment when Gen Z in India has been widely celebrated for its role in social and political mobilisation. Sutapa's note does not undercut that admiration — it sharpens it. Her point is that generational change must be holistic: dismantling patriarchy in the streets while reproducing it in language is a contradiction this generation is uniquely positioned to resolve. Notably, the critique comes from a woman who has herself navigated decades in an industry not known for gender equity, lending it a particular weight.
Point of View
But it surfaces a genuine tension that mainstream commentary on Gen Z tends to avoid: progressive political mobilisation and regressive everyday language can and do coexist. The fact that Hindi's most common abuses are rooted in the violation of women's bodies is a structural problem, not a generational one — and Sikdar is right to note that Gen Z has not cracked it. What makes the post significant is its refusal to simply celebrate a generation that much of public discourse has placed on a pedestal. Accountability, she implies, must be self-directed before it can be credibly directed outward.
NationPress
2 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Sutapa Sikdar post about Gen Z?
Sutapa Sikdar posted an Instagram Stories note on 2 August praising Gen Z's fearlessness and protest culture, but calling out the generation for continuing to use patriarchal, misogynistic Hindi abuses. She urged them to reform their language alongside their politics.
Why did Sutapa Sikdar criticise Hindi abuses specifically?
Sutapa argued that Hindi abuses disproportionately invoke women's private parts, making them inherently patriarchal. She expressed disappointment that Gen Z, despite its progressive image, has not moved away from this pattern.
Who is Sutapa Sikdar?
Sutapa Sikdar is a screenwriter and producer, and the wife of the late Bollywood actor Irrfan Khan. She has been an active voice on social and cultural issues since his passing in 2020.
What was Sutapa Sikdar's message to Generation Alpha?
Sutapa warned that Gen Z is effectively passing the same abusive language on to Generation Alpha, undermining the generational change it claims to represent. She called this a missed opportunity for genuine reform.
How did Sutapa Sikdar end her Instagram post?
She ended on a deliberately humorous note, challenging Gen Z to come up with new abuses that do not demean women, saying the existing ones are 'out dated' and 'not cool towards woman.'
