It seems that the #MeToo movement, a rallying cry for women all over the place, has finally reached Indian shores with ladies in the Indian media calling out sexual stalkers on Twitter and clarifying that they have had enough.
It all started with the Bollywood actress Tanushree Dutta.
Returning to India, after spending eight years in the United States, Tanushree Dutta spoke about how she had been allegedly harassed by Nana Patekar 10 years ago, on the sets of a 2008 film, Horn OK Pleassss.
On October 4, writer Mahima Kukreja blew the lid off sexual harassment in India’s thriving comic drama circuit when she expounded on comedian Utsav Chakraborty sending her a photo of his genitalia without her consent.
For those who don’t know of Utsav Chakraborty, he is a stand-up comic who has freelanced with the popular comedy collective, All India Bakchod. (AIB)
I want everyone to know @Wootsaw is a piece of shit. He sent me a dick pic, was creepy, then cried saying I’ll ruin his career if I tell others. I told two of the most influential men in comedy in India. Nothing happened. Let me tell you what else he has done with others.
— Mahima Kukreja 🌱🌈✊🏽 (@AGirlOfHerWords) October 4, 2018
Following this, on Friday, Twitter erupted and women from the media began laying out alarming stories of lewd behavior and sexual harassment.
A Twitter user shared a post recently where two women have accused the actor and director Rajat Kapoor of sexual misconduct
I don’t even know any more.
Filmmaker Rajat Kapoor
Two separate and different accounts pic.twitter.com/nBjNOsun3j
— Sandhya Menon (@TheRestlessQuil) October 7, 2018
In a tweet on October 5, female journalist Sandhya Menon also posted sceenshots of a women accusing Kailash Kher of sexual harassment.
Kailash Kher
From a journalist in Muscat pic.twitter.com/6edAfH0S6T
— Sandhya Menon (@TheRestlessQuil) October 5, 2018
Many other renowned names, such as AIB’s Gursimran Khamba and filmmaker Vikas Bahl were slammed on social media in the #MeToo movement.
Gursimran Khamba from @AllIndiaBakchod. The survivor wishes to stay anonymous. #MeToo #TimesUp #BelieveHer pic.twitter.com/B9PTYJT8LE
— hk {on a hiatus} (@PedestrianPoet) October 8, 2018
(1) Here I write my #MeToo story- and I name Kailash Kher. Guess what his profile bio says- Adiyal bairagi hu, ziddi anuragi hu. How poetic right? I will show you what it means- “I am a stubborn recluse, a stubborn lover” I wish I knew what this meant much earlier! pic.twitter.com/6ItkX2bPCi
— Simran Soni (@chicksim) October 8, 2018
Numerous ladies affirmed occurrences where sexual harassment complaints weren’t considered important at media associations. These incidents are being widely shared, raising the hope that women’s harassment at the workplace will now be taken seriously.
In any case, the truth will surface eventually if #MeToo realizes a genuine change or if this will turn out to be simply one more story to report.