Actress Juhi Parmar who took daughter, 10, out of Barbie movie left ‘heartbroken’ by ‘sexual connotations’

Actress Juhi Parmar has taken to her Instagram page to share her “shock” and “disappointment” at the content of the new Barbie film - but she’s been met with criticism from fans of the eagerly anticipated movie.

Parmar, an Indian anchor, actress, presenter, singer and dancer predominantly known for her work in Hindi television industry, admitted she had not checked the rating for the film before taking her 10-year-old daughter Samairra  to see the movie at the cinema.

She said she made the decision to leave the showing just 10 minutes into the 114-minute film because she was “shocked, disappointed and heartbroken” at what she had “just exposed” her child too, claiming they had seen “sexual connotations” and “inappropriate language” during the short time they had stayed in the theatre.

So, what exactly did Parmar say, how have Barbie fans reacted, and just what rating is Barbie? Here’s what you need to know.

What did Juhi Parmar say about Barbie?

Parmar took to her Instagram account to express her feelings about the Barbie movie, slamming it as “inappropriate” for children - even those aged 13 and above.

She wrote: “I start with owning up to my mistake. I took my 10-year-old daughter Samairra to watch your film without researching the fact that it was a "PG-13" movie. 10 minutes into the movie, there was inappropriate language and sexual connotations, and I was anxiously running out of the theatre wondering what I had just exposed my child to. She had been waiting to watch your film and I was just shocked, disappointed and heartbroken with what I had just exposed her to.”

She claimed she was not the only parent who was concerned about the content of the film, and also said some children were reacting badly to it as well. “I was the first one to walk out of the movie [and] I saw other parents following with their little ones crying, while some parents chose to stay back to watch the entire movie.”

She also went on to question director Greta Gerwig’s decision to make a film about a child’s doll that had what she deemed to be “inappropriate” for children, even teenagers. She also accused those behind the promotional material for the film of being misleading, saying that none of the film posters “gave a glimpse of the inappropriate language that was coming up in the movie”. She did not give any specific examples of the content she found to be inappropriate.

The mum of one also took aim at other parents who chose to allow their children to watch the film, saying “I may want to be a responsible parent and walk out of your film, but there are a sector of parents who will continue showing their kids.” She then ends her statement by questioning why the film creators have broken “the perfect illusion of Barbie” and adds “I wish I could erase the memory of this film.”

How have fans reacted to what Juhi Parmar said about Barbie?

Fans of the Barbie film are less than impressed with what Parmar had to say about it, and have made their feelings known by commenting on her Instagram post.

One person said: “Wow you really missed the entire core of the movie. Disappointing.” Another person defended the themes of the film and said they were actually very positive. They wrote: “The movie literally challenged and made fun of all the stereotypes that were associated with Barbie while we were growing up. It talks about things like patriarchy and feminism and how the entire concept of Barbie was misunderstood.”

Another person simply declared that Parmar’s statement was the “lamest thing” they had read on the internet, and another made a personal attack on her, saying “you’re just a bad parent”.

Parmar did acknowledge that her post was likely to be controversial as she posted it with the caption: “A lot of my own audience is not going to be happy with what I share today, some of you may send me a lot of angst but I share this note as a concerned parent to Barbie!”

In an interview about her post, and the backlash it created, with the Times of India, Parmar defended her view - and her right to post about it. She said: “Social media for me is a place to share opinions and not just sing and dance.”

What rating is the Barbie movie?

In the UK, the Barbie film has a rating of 12A. In other parts of the world it has received an equivalent rating, such as PG-13 which Parmar refers to in her statement. The rating is given because of “suggestive references and brief language”, according to IMDB. The 12A certificate allows children under 12 to watch the film in a cinema if accompanied by an adult.

According to the BBFC, Barbie is rated a 12A due to "moderate innuendo", "brief sexual harassment" and "implied strong language". In terms of violence, the film contains "comic" fight scenes which include "undetailed punches, kicks, headbutts and use of improvised weapons."

"There is a use of bleeped strong language ('mother******')," says the BBFC, "as well as moderate bad language (‘bitch’) and milder terms such as 'crap', 'God', 'hell' and 'damn'. Moderate innuendo includes occasional gags about 'beaching off' and 'sugar daddies'.

"There is a scene of sexual harassment in which men catcall a woman and make inappropriate comments about her appearance. A man slaps a woman's bottom, however, his behaviour is immediately challenged and results in negative consequences.

"There are occasional verbal references to death and mental health. Occasional references are made to patriarchal attitudes about women’s roles in society. These attitudes are clearly condemned and satirised."