The Harvey Weinstein scandal that took the world by storm brought forward the topic of sexual harassment which has been brushed under the carpet for far too long.
While several Indian actors shared their opinion on how sexual exploitation in return for work needs to stop, no one really pointed towards its concrete existence in Bollywood. However, actor Shenaz Treasury recently shed light on this topic.
Asked if she feels that Bollywood also has such people who take undue advantage in the name of giving work, Shenaz says, “Absolutely. There are Harvey Weinsteins in all walks of life and especially in the entertainment industry where the power-balance is tilted in favour of men.”
The actor, who is not very active in Bollywood revealed that she too has not been spared.
“I have had experiences where the director has asked me to meet for a drink or to come party with him or just to ‘hang out’. I have lost some roles because I refused to go to Madh Island to hang out. Yes, there are many Harvey’s around here [in Bollywood]. And I hope we can start taking names soon.”
The actor continued, “There is a fear amongst Indian actors to take names because they do not want to be ostracized from Bollywood. That level of power that women now have in the West is still not here in India but it is coming soon. There is still a lot of patriarchy in this country.”
Elaborating on her point, Treasury recalled how an article that she wrote a few years ago drew a lot of flak from various sectors of the society. “I wrote what it was like growing up as a female in India and I got two and a half million shares and people came up to me and thanked me for speaking up. Yet, there were still many who tore me to pieces and slut-shamed me for speaking up. And a lot of those people were women. So, there is an ingrained sense of patriarchy still in our country,” Shenaz concluded.