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The need to curb violence against women goes beyond a movement: Anoushka
Shreya Mukherjee
Amidst the concern raised around the future of the #MeToo movement in India, more so, with some of the accused being reinstated to work, renowned sitarist Anoushka Shankar expresses her worry about the ever increasing rate of crime against women and children. Be it the brutal gang rape of a veterinary doctor in Hyderabad, the law student in Ranchi, another woman in Tamil Nadu or the minor in Vadodara, among many others, there remains a big question mark over the safety of women in our country.
Anoushka, therefore, feels that quick action is the need of the hour. “I don’t really have an opinion regarding what possibly could be the future of #MeToo movement. I think the feminist cause and the need to eradicate and curb violence against women and children goes much beyond any one movement. So, my interest is more in the fact that there needs to be a kind of a larger healing. It’s not about any movement, but the real problems,” says Anoushka, who openly spoke about being propositioned when she was just a 14-year-old.
The mother of two, Zubin (8) and Mohan (4), shares that as a parent, her attention is focused towards making both her sons understand “real values”, the importance of “respecting everyone” and having the courage to stand up for what is right. “The society can only change if we transform ourselves better. Blaming others doesn’t necessarily help,” she adds.
As a social influencer, Anoushka always tries her best to convey her message through her work. She contributes to the betterment of women, children and the movement through her “music and lyrics”.
She elaborates, “While many are working towards making the society a better place, the point is that there’s still so much more that requires to be done. There’s so much inequality, so it’ll take some time. I’m trying to do my bit through my music. Whenever I get a platform — on social media or otherwise — I talk about it. Also, while doing so, it’s very important to share your personal experiences. We need more of
My interest is more in the fact that there needs to be a kind of a larger healing. It’s not about any movement, but the real problems.
ANOUSHKA SHANKAR MUSICIAN
us to come along to help the cause.” Meanwhile, Anoushka is planning a trip to India during early 2020 to promote her latest work, and she’s also excited about celebrating her father, sitar maestro, late Pandit Ravi Shankar’s birth centenary.
“It’s a big thing; Bapi’s 100th birthday. We’re meeting people around the world for concerts and events to celebrate his music. We’re working on it right now... dates and cities would be finalised soon. We’ll be spending a good amount of time in India and do the best we can,” she shares.