There’s only one thing the media wants to know from every member of the film industry right now – What are your thoughts on the allegations of sexual harassment levelled by Tanushree Dutta against Nana Patekar? And at a recent song-launch event for their upcoming film Namaste England, Parineeti Chopra and Arjun Kapoor found themselves on the receiving end of that question. Here’s what they had to say.
Parineeti Chopra:
“Honestly, I hope this is not the start of a #MeToo movement in Bollywood, because that would mean that there are several such stories yet to come out. I hope this is the first and last story. If there are other victims, especially women, in the industry, I want them to come out and speak about it. If they don’t speak now, they may be suppressed forever.
Personally, I've never gone through such an experience. But God forbid, if something like this happened to me, I would’ve never kept quiet. Keeping quiet is never the solution. This is something very serious, if it has actually happened. I'm not taking sides, because I wasn’t there. But if it has happened, it's the worst thing that can happen to a woman. If we don’t feel protected in the industry, how can we live and work? I hope it’s untrue, but if it isn’t, we will all support her, even the men.”
Arjun Kapoor:
“I have two sisters working in this industry, and two others working elsewhere. This happens everywhere – it’s the truth. But one person has gathered the courage to speak up about it. We need to understand that it's important to listen to her.
The problem is that we start causing chaos without listening. This girl has spoken about something so dreaded – she deserves to be heard before we start hurling judgements, taking sides, pointing fingers or asking if this is the start of a movement.
Right now, we need to introspect, listen, understand, and make sure that if there are other such stories, they’re heard too. Let’s not make noise for the wrong reasons.”
Meanwhile…
Actress Tanushree Dutta has received legal notices from Nana Patekar and Vivek Agnihotri after publically accusing them of harassment on the sets of Horn Ok Please and Chocolate.
In an official statement, the actress has said, “I have been slapped with two legal notices today. One from Nana Patekar and another from Vivek Agnihotri. This is the price you pay for speaking out against harassment, humiliation and injustice in India. Both Nana’s and Vivek Agnihotri’s teams are on a smear campaign against me by constructing outright lies and misinformation on social media platforms and other public platforms. Their supporters are coming ahead and weaving damming (sic) allegations against me even shouting at the top of their voices at press conferences.
I’m being threatened to be dragged into the court and legal system of India which we all know can keep a woman and her supporters as well as media silent on the pretext of ‘matter subjudice’ but can also further be used to harass her and drain her out financially.
Tareek pe Tareek pe tareek and the dawn of justice never arrives and her whole life goes waste awaiting justice while witnesses are intimidated, discredited or simply drained of their will to stand up. At the end, an empty shell remains, broken hopes. A life wasted, defeated. This is the age-old saga of survivors in our nation. I walked away once from the same environment that was created for me 10 years ago.
Found God, found my healing, found my peace and a new life in the United States of America. And now I stand to lose this new life too if I allow myself to get embroiled in the court system of India. And you wanted to know why the MeToo movement hasn’t happened in India…This is why.”
