The #metoo movement did not stick around in India as much as it did in Hollywood and how! But, when Tanushree Dutta opened up about being sexually harassed 10 years before by Nana Patekar, the entire movement gained momentum yet again. This, since then started off as a huge movement in India and down south singer Chinmayi Sripada gave it the weightage and started the fire; and many followed her trail down South supporting her stance.

Isha Kopikar, an actress turned Politician, opened up about the #metoo movement to Pinkvilla and this is what she had to say, “First of all, I think the dignity and integrity of a woman lie in her. If you don’t respect it, nobody else would respect it. I believe that totally. Also, I believe that if a woman for any reason gives in for the proposals which are indecent, then you cannot blame the man. It is completely the woman at fault. At that point whatever it is, she has the right to refuse it. Probably, I don’t know they are under what  pressure. If it has to do with their livelihood, survival, better job, of a job, of a promotion, you never know what the pressure is about, but she left the pressure to overpower her which is not right, according to me. After doing that, you cannot after four, five or 10 years blame the man, but if a woman is forced, raped, molested and drugged, then the perpetrator needs to be hanged, not brought in life but he needs to be hanged. He should get severe punishment because you cannot do such heinous act without permission. When a woman has said yes and accepted the proposal, its consensual. So, why are you coming out after 10 years and blaming the guy. You were ready to do it. Whether you got your job done or not done or he failed to give you what he had promised, then all that is second. Firstly, you comprised on your principals or values that were inculcated by you and your parents.”

She further added, “I don’t know about the stories, about the truth in the story or how appropriate they are. My stand remains the same. My stand is if you are equally involved in the proposal, then you cannot turn around and blame the person. This is my stand. I don’t know about how true or false the stories are. I don’t know if it was really the man’s fault or the girl was victimized. I don’t know if she was forced. I don’t know the truth that necessary authorities have to find out.”

“My stand is if you have said yes, then you can not turn around and say #MeToo because I’m a woman and I have also been offered roles in this industry. But for me, my moral mattered. For me, getting a big film was not that important because my conscious most important. I need to look at myself and feel proud that I let a bloody job or a movie go because my self-respect is important,” she concluded.

Victim blaming and victim shaming isn’t cool, FYI, just saying!