Rahul Bose on Hema Committee report: An opportunity for other industries to introspect
Bollywood actor Rahul Bose, in an exclusive interview with IndiaToday.in, advocates the formation of bodies like Hema Committee in various industries to tackle sexual harassment, and emphasises the need for systemic change and bold action.
Bollywood actor Rahul Bose, who will next be seen in ‘Berlin’, in an exclusive interview with IndiaToday.in has questioned why no other industry apart from the Malayalam film industry is working on bodies like the Hema Committee.
The Hema Committee report released last month revealed the malicious methods used to sexually harass women in the Malayalam film industry. After the findings of the report were made public, awareness arose, especially in other film industries. While many women still feel unsafe and are victims, many men have come forward to lend support to fight against abuse.
“People are talking about it just because it is in the news. But it is not just about one industry,” said Rahul Bose. “Why hasn’t any other industry come forward and said we should do something like this? This is a great opportunity for other industries, whether it is banking, law or accounts, to do the same and look within themselves. Everyone can form a committee to audit and create awareness,” he added.
It should be noted that An organization like Hema Samiti was formed in West Bengal A panel has been formed to investigate sexual harassment cases in the Bengali film industry. Actress Ritabhari Chakraborty shared the update and said that no actor will be a part of this panel.
When we discussed that the first reaction has been to deny the allegations or shut down voices, Rahul Bose said, “Who wants to shut them down? It is people in power. And this is something that will be brought to an end by relentless pressure from both men and women.”
He added, “A certain level of fearlessness is also necessary, because all those in power are expecting that you will be afraid to challenge the existing system. That is their expectation, and that is why they say it will jeopardise your career and other things. To break free from that fear is a huge step. Depending on the context, a lot of them (don’t speak out) for different reasons.”
The Mr and Mrs Iyer actor further revealed that he has been working on gender issues for the past 23 years. One of his two organisations works against child sexual abuse. He also revealed that he is the president of the Rugby Federation, where they follow a strict POSH policy and also have an internal committee.
He said, “Any external member and every coach or member of the support staff who interacts with our athletes have been told that these are the norms that they have to follow. Also, providing safety for my U-18 players, both boys and girls, is of paramount importance. There is an absolutely zero tolerance policy to the extent that our coaches are not allowed to touch the athletes on the field. Our staff have been told to never interact directly unless someone else is there. No one is allowed to send them messages on personal chats, there is zero tolerance for all this.”
The actor further explained that women don’t want safety or shelter; they just want the option of freedom from society. However, Rahul said that misogyny is deep-rooted and prevalent in every sphere, and so is discrimination and violence against women.
Bose said, “The misogyny and fear that men have in their minds is basically about power and snatching it from their hands. Everyone keeps talking about teaching their children better, but I believe that they should be shown better. If you always walk three steps ahead of your wife, your son will do the same to his wife after shedding a few tears. We need to show them the way with our behaviour. There is a need for ruthless self-examination and asking tough questions. Only then will we be able to break gender stereotypes. I don’t want to offend parents, but this is a fact.”
Finally Bose said that this subject is so multi-dimensional that he remains silent and does not say much because nothing can be said superficially.
Rahul Bose will next be seen in Berlin, which also stars Aparshakti Khurana and Ishwak Singh. The film will release on Zee5 on September 13.
