MALAIKA ASKS ALL WOMEN TO NAME PREDATORS

In the context of the #MeToo debate in Bollywood, Malaika Arora says that women need to speak up in order to ensure that the unsafe environment changes for the better

In the wake of the #MeToo movement gaining momentum in Bollywood, film and TV personality Malaika Arora says that it is important to create a safe working environment for women. She also believes that this can only be achieved if women come out and name the perpetrators.

After actor Tanushree Dutta alleged harassment by Nana Patekar on a film set, a debate has opened up about the safety of women in a professional space.

Malaika, who has featured in several films and has been a former model, is well aware of the importance of ensuring women’s safety in the entertainment industry. “We can keep talking about it that we want to work in a safe environment. But the only way we can achieve that is when we talk about it and actually call out the supposed perpetrators,” says Malaika. “If someone is violating your space, dignity, life, if you won’t talk, no one will know. Every time you step out of the house, you can’t be in the fear that, ‘Oh my God, my work space is going to be a hell hole.’ We need to change this,” she adds.

For both the modelling and the film industry, the perception has been that these are tricky places to work in, especially for women, and Malaika says that the mentality that everyone is “easy” to get needs to change.

“There’s tons of opportunities in front of you. A lot of people feel it’s very easy... just because [some women] wear a short skirt or drink and smoke, they label a girl. Apparently, that’s what makes her easy for anybody to prey on. That mentality needs to change. She’s a woman and it’s her choice to do what she wants,” says Malaika.

If someone is violating your space, dignity, life, if you won’t talk, no one will know. Every time you step out of the house, you can’t be in the fear that, ‘Oh my God, my work space is going to be a hell hole.’ We need to change this. MALAIKA ARORA ACTOR AND TV HOST

PHOTO: YOGEN SHAH