01 August 2023 , 14:50
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A shocked mum has expressed her outrage at the new Barbie movie, after she and her 10-year-old daughter ended up having to leave the cinema after just "10 to 15 minutes". Taking to Instagram, actor and parent Juhi Parmar addressed the filmmakers directly, slamming them for breaking "the perfect illusion of Barbie", and leaving her "shocked, disappointed, and heartbroken".
According to Parmar, she hadn't known about the movie's PG-13 rating when she brought along her young daughter, Samairra. To her dismay, just 10 minutes into the movie, Parmar claims she ended up "anxiously running out of the theatre wondering what I had just exposed my child to".
Parmar says she took such drastic measures because she was appalled by the "inappropriate language and sexual connotations" of the box office hit, and claims she even "saw other parents following with their little ones crying". Although other parents stayed behind for the full film, Parmar says she's glad she made the decision she did and believes Barbie wouldn't even be suitable for children above the age of 13.
Remarking that Barbie is, for so many women, an integral part of childhood, Parmar took to Instagram to write: "I want to ask, why make a movie that is such an essential part of a child's life and then have content in it which is so inappropriate for them?
"And then I ask what about the cross-checks? I made a mistake by not doing my research but why are there no reminders and checks? Why are theaters not reminding parents that: we hope you are aware that this is a PG-13 movie?"
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She then went on to claim: "The theaters would be half empty if it wasn't for the young girls who are pushing their parents to take them for the film. I went back and checked the promos and realized that none of them even gave a glimpse of the inappropriate language that was coming up in the movie. So then why mislead?'"
Parmar claims the movie has left her 'heartbroken' (@juhiparmar/Instagram)
She's accused the filmmakers of breaking the 'perfect illusion of Barbie' (The India Today Group via Getty Images)Describing herself as a "responsible parent" for taking her daughter out of the cinema straight away, Parmar lamented that others wouldn't make the same decision, meaning her little girl would soon learn about the film and its contents regardless.
Signing off her letter as 'a concerned and disappointed parent', Parmar concluded: "WHY DID YOU BREAK THE PERFECT ILLUSION OF BARBIE? Why make Barbie inappropriate for kids and a PG-13 movie which everyone could enjoy with family?
"I wish I could erase the memory of this film and continue believing in a picture-perfect Barbie for my child who has a collection of yours and loves you so much... I so WISH!"
A number of those commenting on the post felt Parmar had missed the point of the movie completely while arguing that the onus really is on the parent when it comes to double-checking film ratings.
One person commented: "Barbie was an illusion, yes! You said it! Do you know how many women are insecure, underconfident and have body image issues because of this particular ILLUSION? It had to be broken!
"Also, Barbie was an adult, she can do all sorts of adult stuff, so it's your fault that you took your daughter for the movie without reading any sort of review or summary about it. Just because the name of the movie is 'Barbie' doesn't mean it's a princess movie made for kids!!! Such an unnecessary post!"
Another remarked: "The whole point of this movie is to break stereotypes about Barbie and in general women being treated as perfect illusions. Your last slide is so disappointing."
According to the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) Barbie has been given a 12A rating in the UK, on account of it containing "moderate innuendo, brief sexual harassment", and "implied strong language".
The Mirror has reached out to Warner Bros for comment.
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