Over the past few weeks, there have been many blind items about the #MeToo movement and the accused ones. Naturally, most of these blind items were about how the industry is quick to forgive and forget. Is it “forget” or do they pretend nothing happened? They are good at pretending that they didn’t know, though. Great actors at that!
So, this week’s blind item is about another famous director but this time, it is about how a star aka a top actress today was also in the same situation as the ladies, who accused him of predator behaviour the minute they stepped in his office.
The star is having a good run at the box office, so doubt she will say anything that will take away that attention. Maybe that’s why she doesn’t feel the need to speak out…
Check out the blind item from Rajeev Masand.
Bollywood Blind Item
The Indiscreet Director
Last year while the MeToo movement was gathering momentum in India, a television actress of foreign nationality ‘outed’ a prominent Bollywood film director for his wily ways. The lady in question revealed how the filmmaker behaved inappropriately with her when she visited him at his office, practically lunging at her for a kiss during their meeting. He also made it very clear that he’d cast her as the lead in a new film he was making if she played by the rules.
At one point, she revealed, she began to actually ask herself if it was worth giving in to his demands just to get him off her back, and to land the break she was seeking. She said better sense prevailed, and she decided against it eventually. She felt empowered to name and shame him only when she saw others come forward with their own horror stories about powerful men in the industry.
It turns out that the actress who made those revelations hasn’t had much work since. The director, although his last film was a turkey, remains unscathed for lack of evidence against him, but mostly because the film industry has chosen to look the other way each time one of its members have been accused.
Recently, a successful and outspoken leading lady revealed to her friends that the same filmmaker had tried acting fresh with her when she visited his office some years ago for a script narration. The actress has said she was relatively new at the time, she was caught completely off guard by his behaviour, but stormed out after giving him a piece of her mind. She has told her inner circle she chose not to come out and speak, even after the director had been named last year, because she didn’t want that to become the only thing people remembered when they spoke about her.
Some of her friends have reportedly told her she’s in a position today where her voice will carry weight and might lead to some change, not to mention that it will give credibility to the other relatively low-profile actress’ story. But the star is firm in her decision to stay out of it.
OSOP Guesses
Bollywood Film Director: Vipul Shah
They need to make the workplace more safe for women, it’s not enough just to “investigate” claims, you have to change the system. Establish fair and safe practices when it comes to casting. Ensure that business meetings for directors are held at studios or in visible offices versus private quarters or someone’s house. The only thing is it does seem futile, that those who will do this under the radar will get the roles.
3 women already spoke against this man, many others would be in the closet, woah! What a sick working place!
Wasn’t Kubra’s and Norousi’s speaking up enough for this sham Women Commission and police and judiciary and law agencies to investigate?
Good for Tapsee she didnt come out….nothing changes, NOTHING. That rapist Alok Nath has returned to his work, will molest don’t know how many more, that T Series is also busy in Youtube subs, and most importantly, NCW ended Tanushree’s case saying she didnt turn up, how many times do they want victims to turn up and for how many years…..maximum number of witnesses, camera recordings of goons hounding on media and still you’re blinded by corruption and Patekar’s MNS. How many times did you call Patekar to investigate, btw? Why trouble the victim, trouble the criminal.
No doubt MeToo lost steam in India, only victims shouting won’t help if law agencies choose to sleep while women are getting raped daily in BW. No investigation, no punishment, little reputation is tarnished that is forgotten with next movie release. It is only when women become organized to deal with such crimes and turn activists arm-twisting agencies and govt to jail the rapists, is only when anything will come out of it.
V sad she didn’t come out to back Elnaz. I have a feeling Tapsee May have given in to Akshay…
actresses have no spine, so these monsters continue to get away with everything
What spine? When their financial future is threatened and people like Nana Patekar/Raj Thackeray set MNS goondas on them, and hacks like Faridoon/Bharati Pradhan try to destroy their reputation?
Bollywood women have more spine, grace and ethics than Bollywood men. More power to them, now that Bollywood knows that public perception is against sexual harassment, the next step is to make sure they are protected by documenting as much of their professional dealings as possible.
Keep fighting. Fine tune the Visaka guidelines against sexual harassment. Increase public support for the victims. Most importantly hit them where it hurts most – at the ballot box and the box office. I have said this before and will say it again-we have come a long way, but we still have a long way to go. Keep going.
Not only actresses also male actors do not have the guts to stand against this sexual predators. I tell you Bollywood may give one money and fame but its a dark place with ferocious beasts.
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