#MeToo throws open Bollywood floodgates

Dubai: It took a year for Hollywood’s #MeToo movement to emerge in Bollywood, but the floodgates have opened as more than a dozen talents in cinema and comedy are accused of sexual misconduct ranging from lewd messaging to rape.

Two weeks ago, actress Tanushree Dutta sparked a watershed moment in the clannish Indian entertainment scene as she revived her charges of sexual misconduct against Nana Patekar for harassing her while she was filming in 2008 for Horn Ok Pleassss.

 This is just about me speaking up my truth and creating awareness so that other women can come forward”

In an exclusive interview with Gulf News tabloid! last month, Dutta labelled Patekar as “the bully, the manipulator and a person who doesn’t shy away from using any pressure tactics.”

“This is just about me speaking up my truth and creating awareness so that other women can come forward,” said Dutta.

Her harassment claims, which has been denied by Patekar and who has now lawyered up against her, has empowered, emboldened and galvanised women to name and shame their high-profile sexual predators.

The last few days have seen a surge in sexual assault allegations in an industry that’s known to hush up sexual abuse claims for the fear of embarrassment or loss of livelihood in a male-dominated entertainment industry. Women from all fields are stepping up as they share their experiences of harassment publicly.

In the last 72 hours, actors, including Alok Nath who is Bollywood’s go-to man for upright, genial father roles in clean family entertainers and Malayalam actor-politician Mukesh, have been accused of varying degrees of predatory behaviour.

 I have waited for this moment to come for 19 years. He was an alcoholic, shameless and obnoxious but he was also the TV star of that decade, so not only was he forgiven for all his bad behaviour, many of the guys would also egg him on to be his worst... This is a moment for change, so speak out. Shout out from the top of the roof.

Vinta Nanda, the writer-director of hit television drama series Tara, accused Alok Nath of rape and brutalising her at her own home, charges that he allegedly denied to reporters in India.

National Award-wining director Vikas Bahl, who directed the enduring female-centric romantic comedy Queen, was accused of sexual misconduct by his colleague who was a part of his now-dissolved production company Phantom Films, cofounded by maverick talents Anurag Kashyap and Vikramaditya Motwane. The news of their fractured partnership was followed by harassment claims against Bahl that sent shock waves in Bollywood.

Actress Kangana Ranaut, who played the lead actor in Bahl’s Queen, also accused Bahl of inappropriate behaviour that included holding her tightly and smelling her hair while embracing her.

Bollywood Accused

As the #MeToo movement gains momentum, the backlash has been swift. Bahl, who was working with Bollywood heavyweight Hritik Roshan in his next film Super 30, has been reportedly dropped from the promotions of his new film and he has also been dropped from his new TV series project.

Actor Rajat Kapoor, who has acted in Mira Nair’s Monsoon Wedding as a paedophile, was also called out for his alleged sexual harassment on Twitter with two women — an assistant director and a journalist — accusing him of inappropriate behaviour. Kapoor has apologised for having “slipped”.

“I am sorry from the bottom of my heart — and sad that I was the cause of this hurt to another human being,” Kapoor tweeted. His film Kadakh has been dropped from an upcoming film festival, MAMI.

Comedian Utsav Chakraborty of AIB comedy collective has also been accused of sexual misconduct. Following the allegations, its co-founder Tanmay Bhat who didn’t take adequate steps to curtail Chakraborty’s growth in his organisation has stepped away from AIB.

It isn’t just Bollywood that’s feeling the tremors of #MeToo movement. Casting director Tess Joseph took to Twitter to accuse CPM MLA and actor-comedian Mukesh of sexual misconduct that took place 19 years ago during the shoot of television quiz show Kodeeshwaran, Kerala’s answer to Kaun Banega Crorepati. Author of pulp novels Chetan Bhagat was called out for sending sexually suggestive messages.

The list of predators continue to grow as women call out on-screen heroes and topple them from the pedestal. Try to catch up with the names.