Masand Blind: The Indiscreet Director (Me Too Related)

The Indiscreet Director

Last year while the MeToo movement was gathering momentum in India, a television actress of foreign nationality ‘outed’ a prominent Bollywood film director for his wily ways. The lady in question revealed how the filmmaker behaved inappropriately with her when she visited him at his office, practically lunging at her for a kiss during their meeting. He also made it very clear that he’d cast her as the lead in a new film he was making if she played by the rules. At one point, she revealed, she began to actually ask herself if it was worth giving in to his demands just to get him off her back, and to land the break she was seeking. She said better sense prevailed, and she decided against it eventually. She felt empowered to name and shame him only when she saw others come forward with their own horror stories about powerful men in the industry.

It turns out that the actress who made those revelations hasn’t had much work since. The director, although his last film was a turkey, remains unscathed for lack of evidence against him, but mostly because the film industry has chosen to look the other way each time one of its members have been accused.

Recently, a successful and outspoken leading lady revealed to her friends that the same filmmaker had tried acting fresh with her when she visited his office some years ago for a script narration. The actress has said she was relatively new at the time, she was caught completely off guard by his behaviour, but stormed out after giving him a piece of her mind. She has told her inner circle she chose not to come out and speak, even after the director had been named last year, because she didn’t want that to become the only thing people remembered when they spoke about her.

Some of her friends have reportedly told her she’s in a position today where her voice will carry weight and might lead to some change, not to mention that it will give credibility to the other relatively low-profile actress’ story. But the star is firm in her decision to stay out of it.

Vipul Shah was accused by a foreign actress who did a bit part in Sacred Games.

Who is the succesful outspoken leading lady? Anushka, Kangana, Priyanka, Sonam, Kareena are quite outspoken. Kangana would have spoken up if this was about her. Don't think anyone would misbehave with either Sonam or Kareena, that leaves Anushka or Priyanka?? The clue is too vague