Popular Indian reality TV show ‘Bigg Boss’ hosted by actor Salman Khan whose 16th season started airing this month has been facing criticism and backlash for including film director Sajid Khan as a housemate in its upcoming season.
in case we’ve forgotten, #SajidKhan took his d*ck out in front of women regularly, actors journalists he didn’t care. just a reminder before we start watching that damn show ‘just for entertainment yaar’. expect better demand better
— Sucharita Tyagi (@Su4ita) October 2, 2022
In 2018, eight women (Sherlyn Chopra, Jiah Khan, Saloni Chopra, Racheal White, Mandana Karimi, Simran Suri, Aahana Kumra, Dimple Paul) from the industry and a journalist Karishma Upadhyaya accused the Indian filmmaker of sexual misconduct. Sajid Khan was suspended from the Indian Film and Television Directors’ Association for a year following the allegations. Sajid also stepped down as the director of ‘Housefull 4’ saying that he was doing so as ‘pressure was being put against his family.’ However, he denied the charges and no police case was brought against him.
A lot of viewers have criticised the Colors TV channel as well as the makers of Bigg Boss for giving a platform to Sajid on one of the biggest reality shows on Indian television.
When Sajid was introduced as a contestant on the show, anchor Janice Sequeira was one of the many women who took to Twitter to question it. “I have woken up triggered and upset. It’s bad enough that men who were called out during #MeToo have suffered ZERO consequences. But for the country’s most popular reality show to rehabilitate one of them and *treat* him like a star? WTF IS WRONG WITH US AS A SOCIETY?” she wrote.
I have woken up triggered and upset.
It’s bad enough that men who were called out during #MeToo have suffered ZERO consequences. But for the country’s most popular reality show to rehabilitate one of them and *treat* him like a star? WTF IS WRONG WITH US AS A SOCIETY?— Janice Sequeira (@janiceseq85) October 2, 2022
ColorsTV and Viacom 18 have not responded to the criticism yet.
A few days ago, the Delhi Commission of Police (DCW) chief Swati Maliwal alleged that she has been receiving rape threats on social media after she wrote a letter to Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur, demanding that director Sajid Khan be removed from Bigg Boss over allegations of sexual assault against him during the #MeToo movement. Calling the threats ‘attempts to intimidate the commission and thwart its statutory work’ the DCW chief said she has submitted a complaint with Delhi Police. A senior police officer said that a case has been registered and an investigation initiated against the perpetrators.
Of course,we still haven’t heard from the star voice for women causes in #Bollywood whose MARD claim’s to ‘instill gender values in young men’ & who was also shameless enough to become @unwomenindia Ambassador for South Asia (?!) ; Mr #FarhanAkhtar. #SajidKhan not young enough? https://t.co/nLtGyHzor8
— Sona Mohapatra (@sonamohapatra) October 12, 2022
Surprisingly, the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) and former Biss Boss contestants and celebrities like Rakhi Sawant and Shehnaaz Gill have spoken in support of Sajid. Shehnaaz who has a big fandom will star in Sajid’s upcoming directorial ‘100%’ alongside John Abraham, Riteish Deshmukh, and Nora Fatehi.
Complete silence from @ColorsTV and @BiggBoss on the #SajidKhan allegations so far.
— #MeTooIndia (@IndiaMeToo) October 3, 2022
#EvictSajidKhan seeks urgent action from ColorsTV
A petition #EvictSajidKhan is being circulated online which currently has over 14,000 signatures from people all over India and abroad.
Campaigners Chandana Hiran and Sukriti Chauhan who started the petition want Sajid Khan to be removed immediately. Their other demand is for Colors TV and Bigg Boss to issue an apology and release a statement saying they condemn sexual harassment. “By continuing to allow Sajid Khan to be part of a daily show that is watched by millions, the society reiterates the skewed gender dynamics and absolute lack of power that women suffer in the world of Hindi cinema”, they argue.
“Millions of Indians will watch this #MeToo accused on Bigg Boss and believe that no matter what harm you cause to the people around you, you can be celebrated on National Television. This is sickening and vile. It is extremely insulting and demoralising to victims and survivors who continue to fight for justice today,” reads the petition.
This fight, however, is more than a trending hashtag for the women who have faced abuse at the hands of this man, adds the petition. “We live in a 15-second attention span world today, and most people will forget this issue and move on to the next one tomorrow. The least we can do is not make a mockery out of their suffering by promoting him on a platform like Bigg Boss.”
Going beyond an online campaign, “if you have seen or know of women who have faced this kind of abuse or continue to be harassed then provide safe job opportunities to them. If you can and have the power do that”, say Chandana and Sukriti.
Saloni Chopra who accused Sajid Khan of sexual harassment highlighted that to support women who speak up and bear the consequences, one needs to offer them employment opportunities. “If you are someone that actually, genuinely wants to support the women who spoke up – WORK WITH THEM. You have no idea how hard it is for women to be hired when people in the industry “don’t want trouble” (but will work with the accused). I have friends who chose silence instead, to save their jobs”, she wrote in a post on Instagram.
The #EvictSajidKhan petition also highlights some of Sajid Khan’s misbehaviour as told by the women who have accused him:
1. Whipped out his penis and flashed women at parties.
2. Asked female actors to send nudes as part of the casting process
3. Talked in a sexually degrading manner to women.
4. Watched porn in front of his female staff.Survivors, industry folk react to Sajid Khan’s participation in reality show
Mandana Karimi, one of the women who spoke up against Sajid Khan, said in an interview to Hindustan Times that she doesn’t feel like working in Bollywood: “It does make me feel sad (on Sajid’s inclusion in Bigg Boss). To be honest, that is also the reason I have not worked for the last seven months. I’m not working anymore. I didn’t go to any auditions. I don’t want to work in Bollywood. I don’t want to be involved with an industry where there is no respect for women”, she said.
Tanushree Dutta who kickstarted the #MeToo movement in Bollywood was quoted as saying in an interview: “I am appalled too (at Sajid’s inclusion in the show). I am speechless at the sheer irresponsibility of this action and the impact it would have on the public. I don’t watch Bigg Boss and I think I ever will after this.”
Singer Sona Mohapatra took to Twitter to point out that actor-singer and producer Farhan Akhtar who is Sajid Khan’s cousin has not taken a stand. Farhan runs an organisation called MARD (Men Against Rape and Discrimination). “Of course, we still haven’t heard from the star voice for women causes in #Bollywood whose MARD claim’s to ‘instill gender values in young men’ & who was also shameless enough to become @unwomenindia Ambassador for South Asia (?!) ; Mr #FarhanAkhtar. #SajidKhan not young enough?”
In 2018, Farhan tweeted about being ‘shocked stress how shocked, disappointed and heartbroken’ upon hearing the stories.
Earlier this month, Sona Mohapatra called out the hiring choices of the creative team of the channel in a tweet: “Here’s a suggestion to TV marketing teams with zero abilities to innovate apart from casting multiple #MeToo accused perverts to get PR,TRPs; line up a show with a houseful of molesters,rapists, paedophiles & even wife beaters. Enjoy taking society to a new low? Make them stars,” the singer wrote.
here’s a suggestion to Tv marketing teams with zero abilities to innovate apart from casting multiple #MeToo accused perverts to get PR,TRPs; line up a show with a houseful of molesters,rapists, paedophiles & even wife beaters. Enjoy taking society to a new low?Make them s.
— Sona Mohapatra (@sonamohapatra) October 3, 2022
Sona and Janice also have written about the toll speaking up takes on women as well as its consequences. “It’s only on us to feel triggered, pain, humiliated & let down? Bear the consequences for speaking up. Lose the few opportunities we have? Be trolled? Called; troublemaker, controversial & worse?”, she wrote.
#India ? It’s only on us to feel triggered, pain, humiliated & let down? Bear the consequences for speaking up. Lose the few opportunities we have ? Be trolled? Called; troublemaker, controversial & worse? https://t.co/LPRZRZPR8e
— Sona Mohapatra (@sonamohapatra) October 3, 2022
When asked about why men accused of sexual misconduct are not held accountable in industry, Indian playback singer Chinmayi Sripaada said, “Indian culture to forgive molesters and protect them; not just the industry.”
Chethan Sindhu Jayan, a budding filmmaker from the Malayalam film industry, said that there was a chance Sajid Khan’s image to be whitewashed because the show could be ‘heavily scripted’. “What I find ridiculously funny is the counterarguments made by people who say that women do all sorts of things just to be in the limelight,” he said while adding that the channel and the show were setting a bad example.
“When you look at sexual harassment, it’s not just the casting couch for heroines, rather it’s essentially all women in the film industry, which includes directors to hair stylists,” says American-Kannada actor Chetan Kumar who started the Film Industry for Rights and Equality (FIRE) an association which aims to tackle sexual harassment in Kannada film industry. It launched an Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) in 2018 to uplift women who have been subjected to the ‘casting couch’ abuse.
Citing power imbalance as a major factor behind this culture of abuse, Chetan says that “since men are the most in numbers (in the industry) and are in positions of power, women become indebted to the power structure, sheer numbers and dominance for opportunities.”
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