The RG Kar rape-murder case that happened earlier this month has sparked off conversations on the need for women’s safety at workplace more than ever. Bangla actors Rituparna Sengupta, Parambrata Chattopadhyay and Dev Adhikari took to the streets and protested against the incident as part of the West Bengal Motion Picture Artists’ Forum.
As a ripple effect, Women’s Forum for Screen Workers in the Bangla film industry has issued a charter of demands to reinforce dignity of women in workplace. It was signed by 50 actors and technicians including Rituparna, Aparna Sen, Swastika Mukherjee and Paoli Dam, among others. In Kerala, on the other hand, a report released by the Justice K Hema Committee on the sexual harassment of women in the Malayalam film industry has sparked immense outrage.
Now, in an exclusive conversation with News18 Showsha, Rituparna expressing her concern over the current situation says, “The Kolkata rape-murder case is an eye-opener to institutional and organised crime. We’re all very sad, depressed and infuriated at the same time. I feel so confused right now. Everything is so topsy-turvy. For how long will we live with this terror? Educated men are using their power and position as a weapon and are professing sexual misconduct.”
While she wants more and more women to speak up, she also empathises with their fear of being cornered. “We spend most of our time at our workplace. If we don’t feel safe there, how will we continue to work? Many women don’t speak up because they’re scared of losing work. That’s why I’m saying that all this needs to stop. There are so many avenues available to men where they can engage in consensual encounters,” she asserts.
Rituparna, who marked her acting debut with a Bangali TV series in 1989, reveals that she too faced sexual harassment by those in power in the initial years of her career. “I did face it but I braved it all. I didn’t know much about the movies. I didn’t come from a film family. So, I took everything that I faced as a challenge. My perspective on things were different. But yes, I definitely faced a lot,” she recalls.
And while that led to many missed opportunities, in hindsight, she’s glad that she knew what her rights were. “The environment that I came from had put me in a different footing. I’ve always done things my way. I never gave into doing things I didn’t want to. That might have damaged my career in a way and didn’t give me the kind of visibility and attention that I should’ve received. But I’m not bothered,” she remarks.
Rituparna adds, “I stuck to my right to dignity and that’s all that mattered. I didn’t compromise just for the sake of fame and positioning. I had to manage my career and my home and set an example for my children. I could’ve surrendered to a big name but that would mean that I’m belittling myself. I was never ready to tarnish my image in my own eyes.”
As protests by actors and directors continue in Kolkata, she feels that more voices should be raised as ‘it’s the right thing to do’. “We’ve been protesting. Our fraternity has been an active part of these protests. We’re making an attempt and we don’t know how much we’ll be able to make change but we hopefully will be able to create some awareness and generate a push and shudder. We’re looking forward to a change in the system where rules, laws and punishments are so stringent that no one ever thinks of abusing a woman,” avers Rituparna.
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