‘Where is the guarantee that #MeToo survivors will be safe?’

Freida Pinto was one of the first big stars to express their support for actor Tanushree Dutta when the latter recounted her alleged sexual harassment — a decade ago — in the hands of cinema veteran Nana Patekar. That opened the floodgates for the #MeToo movement in Indian entertainment. However, Freida tells us that she doesn’t want to compare what’s happening on this front in Hollywood and Bollywood.

The “support system” in the West, she states, was stronger, which is why the movement lasted longer. “Everyone has been saying that it has sort of fizzled out too soon in India, but that’s the case everywhere. I think the #MeToo movement in the US has sort of fluttered away now [as well],” she says.

“But I wouldn’t want to compare the two, because they are just two very different worlds. There was a legal system supporting the women in the West for their stories [of harassment],” she adds.

The 34-year-old actor feels that the support system is missing here in India, which is why the movement had a short life here. “If [survivors] come out with the stories like they did in the West, will they get the support?” she asks. “Where’s the guarantee that they’ll work again? Where’s the guarantee that their bills are gonna get paid? Where’s the guarantee that they’ll be safe?”

The Love Sonia actor adds, “I’m not saying that it’s easy for a woman to speak out in America. Even there, you’re asked to shut up, or [accused] that you’re telling a lie, or ‘why now?’ But, at least, the support system there is much stronger. I feel, we need to figure out a way to support the voices that are coming out. We shouldn’t focus on things like whether they’re a publicity stunt or not. I think we need to focus on the real stories,” she signs off.

PHOTO: YOGEN SHAH Actor Freida Pinto on a recent visit to Mumbai