Salman Khan’s remark on rape is being treated as “harmless” by his friends in the entertainment industry, as the reality is much worse. Misbehaviour with women on the sets is prevalent and actresses take it in their stride, afraid of getting in the bad books of big male stars.
Years ago a starlet named Sabiha (yesteryear actress Amita’s daughter) was allegedly heckled and teased on the sets of the film Anokha Rishta by superstar Rajesh Khanna and director I.V. Sasi. When Sabina went to the press her career was terminated.
Nana Patekar allegedly misbehaved with actress Tanushree Dutta while shooting for a film. She had the guts to protest. But her career faded away. Recently an actress known for her bold roles and statements was propositioned by her co-star. When she snubbed him he began harassing her on the sets. No one protested when he humiliated her on the sets.
An actress comments, “It’s man’s world in this industry. Actors sit with their cronies on the sets discussing women’s anatomies and what they’d like to do to them. Given the scenario, Salman’s rape comment is not really a big deal. We’ve seen and heard much worse.”
Sexually explicit
Bollywood since the beginning of time has been the raunchy provocateur, intentionally and irresponsibly blurring the line between grace and crass in its mainstream offerings.
Penile imagery – the dagger between a pretty actress’s legs or the various objects that are positioned between actors’ legs pointing at women clad in skin and only skin is omnipresent.
Bollywood peddles sex unashamedly. Explain the song Sau Tarah Ke from Dishoom for example, where we see Jacqueline Fernandez in a sleazy avatar dressed in an extremely short white bodycon dress with a dagger hanging right below her waist. Her co-stars Varun Dhawan and John Abraham are in Pathani suits!
Actresses are expected to be voiceless. They dare not object. Chitrangada walked out of a film recently after a spat with director Kushan Nandy during the shoot of Babumoshai Bandookbaaz. She was asked to act ‘bindaas’ but Chitrangadha chose to take the exit door when filmmaker Kushan asked her, “Get literally on top of Nawaz (Nawazuddin Siddiqui). Tange ragdo and sex karo.”
T-Town transgressions
Tollywood is no stranger to actresses being degraded by stars and bigwigs. From people making crass comments to passing remarks about their anatomy, it’s a tough terrain for actresses
Nandamuri Balakrishna:
Balakrishna has regularly courted controversy because of his crass comments against women. Women’s organisations and others have often protested against the actor-turned-politician’s remarks and he even had to explain himself in the Assembly. During the audio launch of the Nara Rohith-starrer Savitri on March 4, Balakrishna had said, “I have always tried to do different roles. If I simply run behind the actresses, my fans will be disappointed. They like it when I either kiss the girl or make her pregnant.”
Comedian Ali
Ali had called Size Zero actress Anushka Shetty a ‘hot jalebi’ at the audio event of the film. He even went on to say that he liked Anushka’s thighs. “In Billa Anushka showed off her thighs, and I’ve become a big fan of hers since that movie…,” Ali had said. It had became a big controversy and the comedian later apologised for his remarks.
Raj Tharun and dialogue writer Ratnam
At the audio release function of Edo Rakam Ado Rakam, dialogue writer Diamond Ratnam, director G. Nageswara Reddy and actor Raj Tharun’s cheap behaviour targeting actress Sonarika had irked senior actor Mohan Babu. The three kept asking the actress for hugs under one pretense or the other, resulting in senior actor Mohan Babu lashing out at them for their behaviour.
