We all know that casting couch is such a serious matter which is related to sexual exploitation of women in the film industry. However, such issues always laughed off by the people but Bollywood actress Radhika Apte and National Award winner Usha Jadhav has decided to raise their voice.
TUNE IN: Is Bollywood ready for its #MeToo moment? The new BBC documentary #BollywoodsDarkSecret airs on BBC World News in one hour at 12.40pm IST. Radhika Apte, Usha Jadhav, Kalki Koechlin speak on sexual harassment in the industry. Not to be missed. pic.twitter.com/SYAzfhSu6G
— BBC News Press Team (@BBCNewsPR) April 28, 2018
Further, a recent incident in which Bollywood choreographer Saroj Khan’s commented on casting couch had created a fresh controversy when she said that the film industry does not, “rape and abandon women but also provides livelihood.”
Meanwhile, BBC has now shared a clip on YouTube, ‘Is Bollywood ready for #MeToo?’, from its documentary Bollywood’s Dark Secret. The clip shows PadMan star Radhika Apte, Bhootnath Returns Actress Usha Jadhav along with a struggling actress revealing some disturbing facts about the issues by them and other women related to sexual harassment in the Indian film Industry.
Sharing her experiences Radhika Apte says,” Some people are regarded as gods. They are so powerful that people just don’t think that my voice is going to matter, or people think that if I speak, probably my career is going to get ruined.”
Later, the 32-year-old actress said,”The way the women, and the men, of course, came together and decided that as a team we are not going to let this happen, I wish that could happen here.”
While Hollywood is raising their voices about ‘sexual harassment at work’ through the #MeToo movement, Bollywood is still mum on such issues as female actress often seen their careers being ruined by male authority.
Revealing a horrific incident faced by Usha Jadhav, she said, “Sleep with me if you want to do this part. I need sexual relationship with you. I said no. He said if you are saying no, then I am not going to cast you in the film.”
A 25-year-old woman who aspires to be an actress, who decided to keep her identity anonymous said,”He started telling me, for an actress you should be happy to have sex. He touched me wherever he wanted, he kissed me wherever he wanted and I was shocked. He put his hand inside my clothes, so I asked him to stop and he said: ‘You know what, if you really want to work in this industry I don’t think you’ve got the right attitude’.”
The clip also features Lucknow Central Farhan Akhtar also said,” It’s an unfortunate reality, hopefully, it will change, and it will change I guess with women speaking up, some amount of shaming happening will put some fear in people’s hearts.”
WATCH THE CLIP:
Well! The Bollywood industry is going through a very bad phase when the dream of many actresses are often ruined by the infamous casting couch.
So Do you think Bollywood actors and actress also star something like #MeTooMovement?
