Girls fear being shamed: Taapsee
While Bollywood names have talked about the existence of casting couch in the film industry, actor Taapsee Pannu feels that the reason why most actors have not called out sexual abusers is because they fear being judged and shamed.
The #MeToo campaign sparked off a movement in Hollywood late last year, is yet to arrive in Bollywood. Taapsee, who recently featured as a self-defence teacher in the short film, Nitishastra, which talks about rape, says “fortunately or unfortunately” she did not face any sexual harassment; otherwise she would’ve “probably helped voicing it”.
While Hollywood had actors are naming and shaming their abusers, the film fraternity here has been silent on the topic, thereby inviting criticism from fans. Taapsee says things are a bit complex here. “It’s not that it doesn’t happen, it does. I am aware of it because I hear from people who tell me this but the same people probably aren’t ready to openly talk about it because there are a lot of taboos attached to it.
People feel whatever little momentum their career has gained, because of this a lot of people will not support them, (they) will think this is a cheap way of publicity. Their ethics and characters will be questioned… It’s not who was wrong and right in that situation. They will look at the person with a doubt that ‘you are exploiting this situation for your benefit’. Especially for girls who have no family here or someone supporting them here. It’s not like that. So may be that insecurity really haunts them and that holds them back,” she adds.