#MeToo was one of the top-trending Twitter hashtags this year, claiming big scalps accused of sexual harassment at the workplace. A silent storm had been brewing in India ever since Hollywood took a stand against movie producer Harvey Weinstein and other sexual carnivores in 2017. It blew into a roar this year after former Bollywood actor Tanushree Dutta accused alt-hero Nana Patekar of sexually harassing her on the sets of Horn Ok Please (2008).
Though a female journalist and an assistant director spoke in her favour, corroborating the incident, she was trolled mercilessly. The issue snowballed, forcing open the floodgates as women from several spheres of life came forward to name and shame men who had preyed on them. Following the allegations, former editor and junior foreign minister MJ Akbar stepped down, a Bollywood production house was dissolved, several male journalists and senior newspaper editors were asked to leave, a millionaire casting director was sacked, academics were let go from universities as the sordid saga continues with breaks in between. The courage shown by victims redefined the young Indian woman.
Some of the harassers named such as Vinod Dua were openly defiant even as women from the film industry and media outed their perpetrators. Some females, however, kept their identities secret, drawing flak from a section of the public which stood by their idols and dismissed the charges as publicity stunt. Journalists like Sandhya Menon and Anoo Bhuyan, writer-comic Mahima Kukreja and singer Chinmayi Sripaada played a pivotal role in curating the stories of survivors on Twitter. As the year draws to an end, there is hope that more voices of hidden victims will be heard loud and clear in 2019.
MJ Akbar Mocked as the Harvey Weinstein of the media and #Metoo, the former minister of state for external affairs was accused of sexual harassment by 20 women journalists. Akbar filed a defamation case against journalist Priya Ramani, who was the first to call him out. As many as 17 women journalists, including current and former employees of a newspaper he launched and edited, agreed to testify against Akbar.
Alok Nath Police registered a case against writer-director Alok Nath accused of sexually assaulting former TV producer, director and writer Vinta Nanda, while shooting for a TV show 19 years ago. Cine & TV Artistes’ Association expelled him from membership. The actor denied the charges and has sued his alleger.
Sajid Khan Bollywood choreographer Farah Khan’s filmmaker brother was accused of assault by several women, including actor Saloni Chopra. While Farah said her brother should be accountable for his behaviour, Sajid denied the charges. He was nevertheless suspended from the Indian Film and Television Directors’ Association and had to later step down as the director of the upcoming film, Housefull 4.
Chetan Bhagat Several women shared screenshots of conversations with the pulp fiction writer, which were tantamount to harassment. One showed a flirtatious conversation between him and a woman that said “he had not felt that kind of a connection in a while”. He refused to give a woman journalist a telephonic interview unless she shared her photo with him. He also asked an author of erotic books about her sexual fantasies. Bhagat claimed that he was being vilified by these women, but issued an apology.
Vikas Bahl The filmmaker was accused of harassment by an employee of Phantom Films, which he co-founded with Anurag Kashyap, Vikramaditya Motwane and Madhu Mantena. The production house was dissolved, but the victim refused to get involved in litigation. Bahl went to court against his partners.
All India Bakchod (AIB) AIB comedian Utsav Chakraborty was accused of sending and asking for unsolicited nude pictures. He issued an apology and AIB removed all his videos from their channel. But it faced more backlash after reports of another comedian Gursimran Khamba kissing a woman forcibly surfaced in the media. Streaming platform Hotstar cancelled an ongoing show with AIB.
Kailash Kher The playback singer was accused by many women, including a journalist who alleged he touched her inappropriately during an interview at his house. Kher denied the incident took place.
Suhel Seth The 55-year-old image consultant was accused of sexual harassment by multiple women, including model and TV host Diandra Soares, who said he ‘shoved his tongue down her throat’. Tata Sons fired him as brand marketing advisor. Coca-Cola, Mahindra Group and Adani Group shrugged off
any taint of association.
Anu Malik after singer Sona Mohapatra called the Bollywood music director a ‘serial predator’, another crooner Shweta Pandit shared an incident from her teenage years about Malik allegedly asking her for a kiss in exchange for work when she was just 15 years old. Malik denied the allegations, but had to step down from the panel of judges on reality television show, Indian Idol.
Chintan Ruparel Multiple women accused the former founder of Terribly Tiny Tales (TTT) of sexual harassment and rape. Ruparel stepped down from his position as Chief Content Officer.