Bollywood actress and social worker Nandita Das arrives for a press conference in Karachi on February 14, 2009. PHOTO: AFP
KARACHI: Famous Bollywood actor and a fierce proponent of the #MeToo movement, Nandita Das has shared her stance on the ongoing campaign after her father was accused of sexual harassment.
“It is also important to be sure about allegations so as not to dilute the [#MeToo] movement,” she wrote on her social media accounts. “I am touched by the number of people – friends and strangers – who are concerned and are trusting my integrity. I do believe truth will prevail,” she added.
This came as a bit of a surprise since Das has been very vocal about the name-and-shame initiatives taken by women against men in India who have sexually harassed them in the past and it seems as though she has now toned down her stance a little bit.
“I want to reiterate that I will continue to add my voice to it, despite the disturbing allegations made against my father, which he has categorically denied,” she further added.
Her stance changed in only a few days as a week ago she and other women in the film industry released a statement that they will never work with proven sexual offenders.
“As women and filmmakers, we come together to support the #MeTooIndia 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,” they wrote.
An Indian entrepreneur Nisha Bora alleged on Tuesday that she was molested by Nandita’s father Jatin some 14 years ago.
“I visited Jatin in his studio, which was in Khidki village. I don’t recall the time of day but that it was well within daylight hours. He poured himself some whiskey; offered me one too, but I refused. It was a wonderfully cluttered space filled with creative energy. The next thing I knew, he attempted to grab me. I wriggled out of his embrace, flustered. Then he did it again. This time, he managed a clumsy kiss on my lips. I recall the feeling of his beard on my skin. I pushed him away, and moved away from him,” Nisha wrote about her experience.
However, Jatin termed Nisha’s story as vulgar and said, “I am shocked… I don’t know her, I have never met her, and even if I did meet somebody somewhere one doesn’t behave like this … It is vulgar.” He also went on to say that some people are just leveling allegations just for the fun of it.
