The last two days have triggered a revolution and an avalanche of sorts on the Indian internet with several women from different professions and ages have called out multiple men for sexual harassment and abuse. Many of these men are notable names and have some standing in the media. Twitter threads that are keeping a track of these perpetrators are being made and skeletons are tumbling out of many people’s closets by the dozen and it looks like the #MeToo movement has finally started in India.
Earlier in the day, an entertainment website revealed an article where a former woman employee at Phantom Films recounted her horrific sexual harassment ordeal at the hands of director Vikas Bahl. This led to the dissolution of Phantom Films because the survivor spoke up about the day of the incident –May 4, 2015, till present day 2018, and related how the co-owners of Phantom-Anurag Kashyap, Madhu Mantena and Vikramaditya Motwane knew about the incident and did nothing. Anurag announced the dissolution and admitted to ‘not doing enough’. Now, Kangana Ranaut who worked with Vikas on the film Queen has now spoken about the director’s vile behaviour to a leading portal.
https://twitter.com/anuragkashyap72/status/1048301339971936256
Kangana said, “Totally believe her. Even though Vikas was married back in 2014 when we were filming Queen, he bragged about having casual sex with a new partner every other day. I don't judge people and their marriages but you can tell when addiction becomes a sickness. He partied every night and shamed me for sleeping early and not being cool enough."
She added that Vikas would get too close to comfort and she repeatedly had to tell him off, “I often told him off. He was scared of me but still every time we met socially greeted and hugged each other, he'd bury his face in my neck and hold me really tight and breathe in the smell of my hair. It took me a great amount of strength and effort to pull myself out of his embrace. He'd say, 'I love how you smell K'."
The actress further added, “I could tell something is wrong with him. I believe this girl. But what is sad, is that now that Phantom has been dissolved, many are attacking him, even though the girl asked for help long ago. At that time, the story was conveniently killed, but I supported her at that time as well. You can see my media interaction during one of my brand endorsement interactions. I thought the movement (MeToo) would catch up but I was wrong.
Kangana also revealed that she lost out on a film after she lent her support to the girl whom Vikas harassed. She said, “At that time Vikas had come to me with a script about a gold medalist from Haryana. When I supported the girl, he stopped talking to me. I didn't mind losing out on a good script and I never called him either. I was determined to say what I felt was right. The matter was pushed under the carpet and I didn't hear any updates on the same."
She questioned the society and said, “It's amusing that after the news of Phantom dissolution many are finding the courage to attack him. Shame on such a society. Go look at yourselves in the mirror, a bunch of cowards, attacking powerless men won't begin a movement. Either we do it or we don't. Let's not be opportunists. If we are a shit society, let's accept it, at least have that much honesty within yourself. Selective outrage will only serve as entertainment, this will just be tabloid gossip and nothing else.”
Noted filmmaker Hansal Mehta also cited the article and lent his support to the survivor and to the ongoing #MeToo movement.
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