Q: What's been happening with Bollywood and the #MeToo movement?
A: Nothing + (A lot of victim blaming!)
Warning: Text heavy.
Those that have spoken up:* adding transcripts for videos - they should be in English if you wish to watch & not read.
Kalki Koechlin:
Q: Why are women not speaking up about sexual harassment in Bollywood?
Kalki:"It is a very difficult step to take. Because it's their career on the line. You are dealing with hundreds of people throwing their opinions at you. It can really shake a person emotionally.
I know several girls who are newcomers in Bollywood – struggling, going for auditions, who are constantly being discriminated because of the way they look. People say you are too fat or comments being made or being hit on. Having phone calls at two in the morning from your casting director. Things that no one is reporting and nobody is researching because there is no famous person to headline it. Men have been pretty clueless about the fact that almost every woman had been harassed in some way or the other. We are just so numb to it. If you get touched in a bus, we don't even think anymore about it.
I think it's important that you have a support group. It can be online, a therapist, family or friends. Both men and women need to be having a dialogue with each other, not against each other. That's really important."
Richa Chadha:
Richa has spoken extensively about harassment in Bollywood since the #MeToo campaign.
- She says men won't fall as easily because there's a culture of victim blaming in India. People who make "progressive/feminist films" will be revealed for their true nature
- Heroes that people look up too, will also be attacked.
- She says Bollywood has a perception of debauchery and the media is using it as a quick way to earn clicks, there is no system of support for the victim.
- She also believes the courts should be stricter, she met a rapist once who was caviler about his sentencing, saying he only got seven years in jail and he'd be back again.
Watch some of her videos here& here on the topic.
Priyanka Chopra:
12:38“It’s not about sexuality. It’s not even about sex. I think it’s about power. I think it’s about feeling powerful and feeling macho and putting a woman to her place,”
Speaking from her own experiences, Priyanka added, “The easiest thing to take away from a woman is her work. Especially in our business if she doesn’t compromise in whatever way whether it’s sexually or stroking someone’s ego or networking, she’s always threatened that she won’t get that movie .Or this 'big boys club' will get together and boycott her. And that’s such an isolating feeling which is why it’s so incredible to see so many women come together and say you’re not alone – me too. I stand by you.”
On being asked, if India has “a” Harvey Weinstein, Priyanka said, "I don't think there's 'a' Weinstein. I don't even think there's only ‘a’ Harvey Weinstein in Hollywood. There are a lot more men and there will be a lot more stories that will come up and I think that just not happen in India but all over the world.”
Sonam Kapoor:Sonam:"There are three points to it - a lot of women don't realise what's going on and what's happening to them, because they think that it's okay and it's alright... it's like a subconscious thought. That's the conditioning we've gone through."
"Number two: it's also because we've been taught to keep quiet, act dumb, pretend it didn't happen, laugh it off. Or third, it's victim blaming. If something happens to you, it's your fault."
Interviewer:"Is there a stigma around victims of sexual harassment or abuse, or is it actress and actors are scared of losing their career over outing someone?"
Sonam: "I think it's both. it's not only about losing your careers, it's also losing face in society. We're still backward that way, we don't talk about it at all."
The
interviewer asks her about the Aziz Ansari incident and if it's a "witch hunt".
Sonam: "I think it's awful that calling out people for sexual harassment is now being referred to as a 'witch hunt'. It's important for it to go the other way, There's deafening silence and suddenly when the dam is broken, everything comes out. But eventually, it will all level out. The truth always comes out, eventually. Always."
Sonam Kapoor has talked about her sexual assault before too. (In English;
Click Here)
Swara Bhaskar:- Swara wrote a large piece about sexual harassment in Bollywood, I'm going to quote the main parts, but I urge you to read the rest
here"My experience has been that men in positions of power (i.e. in a position to cast me) have propositioned me – directly, indirectly, sometimes too directly, sometimes too subtly – so that I didn’t realise it was a proposition till much later. But no one ever forced me. Sure, there were moments when I felt genuinely vulnerable and nervous, I lost some roles, some people stopped responding to messages. But luckily, I was never forced upon in a physical sense and the situation always remained in my control, and I was able to manoeuvre myself to a safe zone in the interaction.
However, a predator knows how to pick which prey. I am an articulate, aware, educated, confident girl. I think I give the vibe that I will not take things lying down. I’ve heard stories of far more aggressive & shameless propositioning from girls younger than me, from less culturally elite backgrounds. Girls who seem ‘easy’ prey.
Bollywood is not famous for introspection. And producers have too much money at stake, and are too beholden-by-the-rules to government agencies (like the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting and CBFC) and now to lumpens & goons (like the Rajput Karni Sena) to unite and fight even for their own creative freedoms. I do not expect them to attach themselves to a ‘controversy’. Actresses and actors are too vulnerable, insecure and perennially out of work, and too ambitious to want to risk their careers for the cause. And, it is risking our career to speak up.
Perhaps,
Bollywood needs to follow the example of the Malayalam film industry, which has instituted an anti-sexual harassment committee – after the rape of the Malayalam film actress – to create a safer working environment for victims and potential victims, and to create a platform to get victims justice. Sadly, it’s unlikely to happen soon."
Rajeev Masand:Rajeev Masand is a famous film critic & is known for writing blinds.
"One of the few positives to emerge out of the Harvey Weinstein scandal that has revealed literally dozens of cases of sexual harassment in Hollywood is the conversation it appears to have triggered locally too.
The casting couch has been one of Bollywood’s worst kept secrets, with major A-list filmmakers and actors known to be routinely guilty of the ‘practice’. The Madh Island bungalows, the suites reserved at a popular Juhu hotel, the ‘secret den’ tucked away inside powerful producers’ offices. It’s the stuff of legends; seldom, if ever, directly addressed or exposed because of the culture of silence that has existed for as long as one can remember.
Some might argue that the cliché of the lecherous Bollywood producer and the ingénue may be true of the shady 80s and 90s, but that things are vastly different now in a studio-driven landscape where the very concept of ultimate power has been wrestled away from individuals. To be fair, there may be some truth to that claim. But one only needs to peer at social media – to see the dozens of young female actors, directors, technicians, make-up artistes, hairdressers, assistant-directors, and journalists who’ve used the
#MeToo hashtag to cite instances of harassment in their professional careers – to acknowledge that the problem is far from over.
Because asking for sex in return for a role isn’t the only charge that constitutes harassment. Veiled comments, snide jokes, any form of unwarranted physical contact, those long creepy stares… all of it has got to go. Victim shaming has got to stop too so that more women (and men!) feel comfortable to come out and call out the perps. And when they do, swift action must be taken. For this is the one place where silence ain’t golden."
Ekta KapoorEkta Kapoor is accused star Jeetendra 's daughter and television/movie producer. (You know those over the top Indian TV shows? Yeah, she started it. She ruined Indian Television.)
- She urges women to come out and speak about the abusers.
- She also claims that
actors use their sexuality to get roles 🙄
"Being a producer, on a personal level when I talk to my male counterparts, they said they were propositioned blatantly. Is that person not a predator?
“In our industry, if one actor meets a producer at 2 a.m. and hooks up with him and after five days, if she wants a job based on that and the producer doesn’t give the job because he wants personal and professional things separate, then who is the victim here? The interpretation is always that the powerful person took advantage of the poor little budding actor or something that is always not the truth."
+ Additional - the example of victim blaming:
Zaira Wasim
Zaira Wasim got inappropriately touched on the airplane by an older man, she live-streamed her reaction after the plane journey. The man and wife denied the accusations. Zaira being from Kashmir, a Muslim and well... a female, got accused of lying, acting and doing it for the attention.
The Abusers
Shakti Kapoor
Some background, in 2005, Shakti Kapoor was outed by an undercover journalist for participating in the casting couch. In the video, he highlights three top actresses were part of the couch too.
Aishwarya Rai & Subash Ghai
Rani Mukerji & Yash Chopra
Preity Zinta & Yash Johar
The industry was up in arms by his accusations and Film & Television Producers Guild of India decided to ban him. The ban lasted for a week and he's back in films again.
Irrfan Khan
Recently, Irrfan Khan said when he first started out in Bollywood he was asked to "compromise" to get the job. He said he was asked by both men and women, often people he knew.
In 2012, Irrfan Khan was accused by his costar Mamta Patel for exploiting her. She said he promised her work in Bollywood and harassed her during their outdoor shooting location.
Amitabh Bachchan
In 1991, it was reported that Amitabh Bachchan developed a crush on actress Amrita Singh, after starring in a film together. To be noted, she was 16 years younger than him. against her will at a party. Amrita had attended the party with fellow actor Danny Denzongpa which made Amitabh jealous and he kissed her against her will for "several minutes."
Jeetendra
A few weeks ago a rape claim was filed against Jeetendra by his cousin. She alleged that in 1971, he arranged for her to come to New Delhi on the set of his film.
She says that he returned to their room drunk and sexually assaulted her.
His lawyer claims that she's a jealous competitor out to get his money and disrupt his business.
Om Puri
In 2009, Om Puri's second wife Nandita wrote a biography where she alleged he had sex with his 14-year-old maid and another woman called Laxmi. Om Puri never refuted the claims. In 2013, she filed a domestic abuse report against him.
Rajesh Khanna
Rajesh Khanna's partner Anita Advani said that at the age of 13, Rajesh Khanna grabbed and kissed her. She at the time didn't understand what was happening and was in "awe of the actor".
Rajesh Khanna, married actress Dimple Kapadia when she was 16 and he was 31. He was abusive and controlling, she split from him but he refused to grant her a divorce.
Thankfully you'll be glad to know this sick fuck is dead.
Jackie Shroff
In 1986, actress Tabu would join her sister Farah Naaz on set. After the shoot, they used to party at Danny's home. One day Farah took Tabu, a drunk Jackie Shroff tried to sexually assault Tabu, Danny at the time recused her from the attack.
Aditya Pancholi
When Aditya Pancholi was dating actress Pooja Bedi, was accused of raping her 15-year-old maid.
He has also been accused of being abusive towards actress Kangana Ranaut. Kangana who moved to Bombay at 16, got into a relationship with Aditya. When she tried to escape from him, he forced her out of the rickshaw and beat her in public. Kangana says director, Anurag Basu hid her away from him.
Sooraj Pancholi
Yes, the devil spawn of the fucker above.
In 2013, actress Jiah Khan was found dead hanging from a ceiling fan. She wrote a note, in which she alleged that Sooraj had abused, raped and tortured her. He also forced her to have an abortion at home. On the day of her death, Sooraj was found to have sent her threatening texts.
Please read this post by milfordacademyshe goes into detail about the accusations for both Pancholis.
Salman Khan
I've done a detailed a post on Salman Khan here
In brief, he's physically abused all of his girlfriends and threatened/ harassed female journalists. He continues to be the top star in Bollywood and supports other abusers like the Pancholi's above by casting them in his upcoming films!!
Vikas Bahl
Director Vikas Bahl was accused of rape by an employee of his production firm. He was ousted by his production company Phantom, but he continues to categorically deny the accusations saying, she did not file a report to HR, nor was she an employee and for two and half years, she has never made it clear she was uncomfortable around him. He further states “People really like me. I don’t know why anyone would stoop to this level.”
Vikas Bahl is now working on a film called Super 30 with Hrithik Roshan.
Subash Ghai
Subash Ghai has been accused of the casting couch by Shakti Kapoor (above) and actress Rina Golan.
Rina alleged that he propositioned her and took her to his bedroom. She changed her mind, saying that she didn't want to abandon her principles.
Subash was also accused of sexually assaulting actress Manisha Koirala while they were shooting for Saudagar. Whilst many consider the latter to be just rumours, Manisha never worked with Subash again.
Madhur Bhandarkar
In 2004, director Madhur Bhandarkar was accused of rape by model Preeti Jain. She claimed he raped her 16 times during the period of 1999 and 2004. The case was dismissed. However, in 2005 Preeti Jain was arrested for hiring a contract killer to murder him. She was sentenced to 3 years in prison for being guilty of conspiracy, aiding and abetting a crime.
Shiney Ahuja
In 2009, Shiney Ahuja was accused of rape by his maid. According to him, the sex was consensual, and the maid eventually dropped her case.
However, he was sentenced to seven years in prison, he filed an appeal against the maid for perjury. He was acquitted of his charges and later released on bail.
**** Mukesh Chabra/Shanoo Sharma *****
A blind came out recently where it heavily implied that these two were participating in the casting couch:
- Shanoo Sharma works for YRF, known for launching Arjun Kapoor, Ranveer Singh, Parineeti Chopra, Vaani Kapoor & Bhumi Pednekar. Most YRF heroines have had to modify their body for films. (Vaani Kapoor, Parineeti Chopra)
- Mukesh Chhabra is casting director, films include PK, Dangal, Bajrangi Bhaijaan, and literally every single film in 2017.
Blind: "
The discussion around sexual harassment and exploitation at the workplace has gotten louder on local shores too. I've heard the professional conduct of at least two popular casting directors being seriously discussed at recent gatherings. Two former assistants of one influential casting head revealed that their jobs involved "cleaning up after their boss had "had her way with some young hopeful. They described the said big shot's appetite for strapping young fellas as an "open secret. The same person was known to make young girls who came to her for acting opportunities especially insecure about their bodies, routinely recommending cosmetic surgery and "boob jobs to correct their shortcomings'.
The second casting director, I was informed, had a habit of sending messages to young women he was professionally mentoring, asking them to come for "meetings late at night. He was infamous among cinema strugglers for showering extra attention on women who were "pliable.
From what one has been given to understand, these examples are a drop in the ocean when it comes to exploitation in tinsel town. The fear of taking names remains one of the reasons that culprits aren't taken to task. But in a landscape where men openly accused of crossing the line continue to go about their lives without fear of consequence, it's hard to say when time's up' will be called for sexual misconduct in Bollywood."
Sources
Articles: 12345678 9101112
Videos: 12
Tweets:1
Blinds: 1