‘It’s shame asking women proof for abuse’
sharjah — It’s shameful that society still asks women, who come out in public against the abuses they face, for evidence, said renowned South Indian actor and writer Prakash Raj.
While speaking about the #MeToo movement, Prakash Raj told the attendees of a session at the Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF) that men should be ashamed of the fact that they didn’t start the movement. “When a man answers to a #MeToo allegation that ‘I didn’t intend to,’ he should say sorry,” said the multilingual actor, who is known for his strong stand against the rightwing groups in India.
Prakash Raj was speaking at a
session after releasing the Malayalam version of his Kannada book, Iruvudellava Bittu.
He rebuked the construction of Statue of Unity, a Rs30 billionstatue unveiled by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Gujarat recently. “When a state (Kerala) needed more than Rs20 billion for rebuilding itself after the floods, our prime minister gave only Rs6 billion in aid. And he spent Rs30billion for a statue. When there are no jobs in the country, he can’t do this.”
Prakash Raj said his life is “under threat” after he raised voice against the right wing politics. “I feel that I was late to stand up. But better late than never. I started raising my voice only after the Hindutva forces murdered my friend and journalist Gauri Lankesh. Now, let us make sure that no more Gauris happen,” the actor said, adding that his responsibility now is to inspire people to be fearless. Now in India, fear has become a national disease, Raj said in an emotional speech.
He also lashed out at Indian media and artists, saying most of them are sold out or they are in their comfort zone. “They are misleading and irresponsible. An artist can’t be irresponsible. He or she is responsible for the society.”
On a question about his negative roles in movies, the actor said his roles should be seen as an actor’s performance. “I’m not comfortable being a hero. I don’t want myself to be seen with the same smile for years, running around trees with heroines.”
When a man answers to a #MeToo allegation that I didn’t intend to, they should say sorry.”
Prakash Raj, Indian actor