Sexual exploitation in Tollywood: Actress Ritabhari urges CM to initiate probe
KOLKATA: After the Hema Committee Report exposed sexual harassment, exploitation and lobbying in the Malayalam film industry, renowned director Ranjith stepped down as the chairman of the Kerala Film Academy following allegations by Bengali actress Sreelekha Mitra. Now, another Bengali actress, Ritabhari Chakraborty, has urged Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to conduct a similar investigation in the Bengali film industry.
Recently, an actress filed a complaint with the West Bengal Women’s Commission regarding the inappropriate behaviour of a Bengali filmmaker. On Monday, Ritabhari took to social media to ask if a similar investigation, like the Hema Committee Report, could be initiated in the Bengali film industry. The ‘Fatafati’ actress also highlighted how heroes, producers and directors with such “filthy minds and behaviour” continue to work without facing any consequences for their actions. She even pointed out how some of them were seen holding candles for the RG Kar rape-murder victim.
Ritabhari has urged her fellow actresses to “unmask these predators.” She said actresses fear losing jobs, as these “men are influential,” but she questioned how long they should remain silent. She didn’t mince her words when she said many aspiring actresses have come to view the film industry as a “sugar-coated brothel.”
“Do we have no responsibility towards the young actresses that come to the business with dreams and are made to believe this is nothing but a sugar coated brothel,” posted the ‘Brahma Janen Gopon Kommoti’ actress and urged the CM to initiate a similar investigation, like the one in the Malayalam film industry, to report and reform the Bengali film industry. “Didi, we need a similar investigation in our industry right away. No we don’t want another case of rape or assault before we are finally taken seriously. Being in the show business does not give the right to any man to look at us as a commodity or their targets to satisfy their thirst of power or sex,” mentioned Ritabhari on social media. Several celebrities, including Rupanjana Mitra, Sujoy Prosad Chatterjee, Anik Dutta, and Rupali Bhattacharya, have come forward in support of Ritabhari. “Those molesters should be thrown out of the industry and if they participate in candle light marches, they should be publicly beaten up,” said Rupanjana.
