The #MeToo movement has certainly taken the Bollywood industry by storm. While Tanushree Dutta spoke about her traumatic experience and accused Nana Patekar, the current ongoing controversy against Anul Malik’s reinstatement in Indian Idol has reignited the debate.
Former Miss Universe and actress Lara Dutta also opened up about the movement in a recent interview with Zoom. The Andaz actress shared that she never experienced it herself but admitted that she has seen it in the industry. She also spoke about taking a stand even when her colleagues and friends were being named in the movement.
She said, When #MeToo started happening, a lot of names that were being taken are people I have worked with or I am friends with. The point of the matter is not that who are the people that are being named. The fact of the matter is that if you decide to take a stand you are either for it or you are not. If I am for it regardless of what those repercussions are going to be because I have no control over what are the names that are going to come out.”
She further added, “Regardless of what the repercussions are going to be and there bound to be repercussions. This is a very small and close-knit industry you either believe a woman when she says she has gone through what she has gone through or you call her a liar. You have two choices. So for me as a woman I stood because of what I have seen. I can’t say that I have experienced a #MeToo moment in my career but I have seen it around me.”
While talking about some women misusing the movement, she said, “Some people say certain women have abused that and taken advantage of the movement. And that has possibly happened. But that does not mean that every single woman who has spoken out has been somebody who decided to victimize herself and take advantage of the situation.”
“With #MeToo we have nothing to lose. We are self made people who came from nowhere. Its’ not about pointing fingers but it’s about time that women got their due and voices got heard,” she concluded.