Women filmmakers not to work with proven offenders

At least 11 women filmmakers yesterday came together to support the raging #MeToo movement in India, saying they have taken a stand to not work with proven offenders.

Alankrita Shrivastava, Gauri Shinde, Kiran Rao, Konkona Sen Sharma, Meghna Guizar, Nandita Das, Nitya Mehra, Reema Kagti, Ruchi Narain, Shonali Bose and Zoya Akhtar are among the filmmakers who have taken the stand, according to a note circulated by them on social media.

“As women and filmmakers, we come together to support the #MeToolndia movement. We are in complete solidarity with the women who have come forward with honest accounts of harassment and assault. Our respect and admiration to them as their courage has started a revolution of welcome change,” the note said.

“We are here to spread awareness to help create a safe and equal atmosphere for all in the workplace. We have also taken a stand to not work with proven offenders. We urge all our peers in the industry to do the same.”

The #MeToo movement in India sparked when actress Tanushree Dutta renewed allegations against veteran actor Nana Patekar in an incident dating back to 2008. Since then, a number of women have come forward with complaints against names like Alok Nath, Rajat Kapoor, Subhash Ghai, Vikas Bahl, Subhash Kapoor, Kailash Kher and Sajid Khan.

Ever since the names came out, leading actor Aamir Khan stepped out of a project which was to be directed by Subhash Kapoor. Akshay Kumar asked the producers of Housefull 4, which was being directed by Sajid Khan and co-starred Patekar, to cancel the shoot until “further investigation”, and Hrithik Roshan too urged the producers of Bahl’s Super 30 to take a hard stand.

As a fallout of the movement, Sajid Khan has been replaced as Housefull 4 director by Farhad Samji. Also yesterday, over 200 members of the Carnatic music community from across the world came together to express that sexual harassment, abuse and assault must not be tolerated, and that it was time for the “deafening silence” to be broken.

A note from the Carnatic music community was shared on social media by celebrated vocalist T M Krishna. It featured the names of all artistes who have lent support to the #MeToo movement.