‘Tough for women to discuss harassment’
Even as Hollywood stands rocked by a massive scandal, with allegations of sexual misconduct levelled against producers Brett Ratner and Harvey Weinstein, and actor Kevin Spacey, only Irrfan Khan and Richa Chadha have spoken about facing casting couch in India. Actor Vidya Balan believes women avoid talking about the sexual harassment they face in workplaces out of fear of being judged.
“Women never had the courage to talk about sexual harassment as the finger would be pointed back at them. I think be it sexual harassment or rape, women have always found it difficult to talk about it,” she said.
The 38-year-old actor has said even in Hollywood, the powerful remained silent about sexual harassment initially. “In the West, it has happened to powerful and successful people and they did not do anything about it. But people have started talking, revealing things.”
Vidya says she walked away from people she felt uncomfortable, but at the same time, adds, “I could walk away because I had a home to go back to. I had family, food on my plate and nothing to worry about. Lot of people have different circumstances.”
The actor said that though she never had to resort to any compromise to get work, she does not judge those who did. “No one has asked me for a coffee. If I went to have coffee with someone, it was because I wanted to go. But I don’t judge others who had to use any sort of means as everyone’s circumstances are different.”