Guilty, a recently released film on Netflix, follows the story of an unreported rape case. A college student from a small town accuses the popular boy in the college of sexually exploiting her in a state of utter inebriation. But nobody believes her.
This is where it gets interesting, exposing society’s deep-seated bias towards women and their conduct. Tanu, played by Akansha Ranjan Kapoor, is unabashedly provocative. Everything from her risqué clothing to her sexual demeanour, is looked at as inviting. Which is also why she’s labelled as the ‘hole girl’ or one easy to bed.
Vijay Prathap Singh played by Gurfateh Singh Pirzada is the accused. He is the college heartthrob who is dating Nanki played by Kiara Advani. Her character is wrapped with complexity because of the secret she’s been holding on to for years. She only reveals it towards the end of the film. But before that she must fight her own demons to reach the truth. Nanki takes upon herself to investigate the matter for Tanu’s sake, but more importantly, for her own closure.
The film comes a year after #MeToo, well timed to make a strong point. Unfortunately, that’s showed in the last 10 seconds in the form of a little ticker that lays out rape statistics in India. It says ‘One year after #MeToo movement broke in India, all accused are back to living regular lives. 95 percent of rapists are still not convicted and 97 percent are known to the victims. Of this we’re all equally guilty.’
With that, it ends, pointing a finger at the audience, the society... towards us. Because many choose silence over speaking up when it matters most. It exposes the shocking sexual double-standards prevailing in society. Also how deeply entrenched the culture of victim-blaming is. How it’s always a women’s fault.
The film also beckons us to look at the greyness within the idea of consent. What comes within its ambit? What does the law say? Guilty speaks strongly about individual responsibility. The culture of rape is a societal construct wherein we too are perpetrators and promoters of stereotyped misconceptions about women and their conduct. Thousands of cases still go unreported out of fear of being judged, mocked or alienated. Those that are reported see exhausting court trials and extensive psychological trauma. To this end, ‘#wetoo’ are guilty.