Hema Committee Report: Sona and Ahana burst out in anger: Said- #MeToo movement in Bollywood was a joke, people like Sajid Khan are still getting work

Recently, the report of Hema Committee has come in the Malayalam film industry, which has created a stir in the whole country. This report has revealed serious cases of sexual harassment of women and casting couch in the industry. After this report, questions have again started arising that what has changed with the #Metoo movement? During a conversation with Dainik Bhaskar, singer-composer Sona Mohapatra and actress Ahana Kumara, who spoke openly during #Metoo, have given their strong reaction to this report. Both of them have expressed their displeasure over not taking any strict action against the accused of #Metoo in Bollywood. ‘The most shocking thing is…’ Sona Mohapatra said, ‘I am shocked to see that such horrific incidents are happening in the industry which is known for feminist films. The most shocking thing is that these reports are coming from the Malayalam industry, which is famous for powerful feminist films.’ Sona also mentioned an incident that happened in the Malayalam industry in 2017, in which an actress was raped in a moving car and the name of actor Dileep had come up in it. She said, ‘It is very sad and shocking that such criminals are roaming freely and no strict action is being taken against them. People like Dileep, who were involved in such a serious crime, are still roaming fearlessly in the society and it has been considered normal.’ ‘#Metoo accused are comfortably working in Bollywood’ Sona also raised questions on the truth of Bollywood. She said, ‘#Metoo accused people are comfortably working in Bollywood, and this reveals the reality of the industry. It is very disappointing that people who were accused of serious crimes are roaming freely and working without any punishment. At the same time, I was not called back to work, but was immediately removed from the TV show because we spoke the truth. We were made to feel that our work has been stopped. ‘People like Sajid Khan are still getting work’ Anu Malik is being taken as a judge again and again. Sajid Khan, who has misbehaved with many women, is still seen in Bigg Boss and is roaming around freely. Similarly, the director of the film Queen, Vikas Bahl, who also has many allegations against him, is working in films again, while those who spoke the truth were silenced by calling him a ‘troublemaker’. After the #MeToo movement, work opportunities stopped for us. In the last three-four years, I have seen that if you do not try yourself, then no one will help. People say, ‘Hey, it’s an old thing, why are you bringing it up again and again? On social media, I saw that some of my friends and colleagues posted photos with #MeToo accused. I messaged them, ‘Don’t you remember what 12-13 girls had said about them?’ ‘I am creating my own opportunities’ Sona told how despite not getting work, she is creating opportunities for herself. ‘I launched a show, ‘The Laalpari Mastani Show’, in which I invested all my savings. I am making my own songs, videos, and shows with my own money. It is difficult, but I am not giving up. I am doing my own work and I am proud that I chose this path.’ #Metoo movement was a joke: Ahana Kumara Ahana said angrily on this matter, ‘The #Metoo movement in Bollywood was no less than a joke. People who were accused of serious charges are still working in the industry without any fear. It did not matter to them whether I spoke or not, because those who were supposed to give work were not going to give it anyway. The real purpose of this movement got lost somewhere, and those against whom voices were raised are still working with the same carefreeness. This tells how big a problem there is regarding the safety of women in our country.’ ‘This is not just happening in the Malayalam industry, it is happening everywhere’ Ahana also said that incidents of sexual exploitation and harassment are not limited to the Malayalam industry. She said, ‘This problem is not limited to just one industry, but women in every industry are facing similar problems. Be it small cities or big cities, women have to face similar challenges everywhere. This is not a matter of small or big cities, but it is a nationwide problem. There is a huge lack of safety and rights of women in our society, and strict steps should be taken on this so that such incidents do not happen again.’ Ahana also expressed her disappointment about the #Metoo movement. She said, ‘Me too has really become a joke in this country, because people who were accused of serious crimes are still working comfortably today.’