Is Holi unsafe for women? Bollywood reac!

By Subhash K. Jha, Mumbai, March 21 : The festival of colours, Holi, means fun and frolic. However, it is not safe for women, says the Bollywood brigade. Stars like Urmila Matondkar and Shefali Shah suggest they should be cautious and play Holi only with family and close friends. Urmila Matondkar: Holi isn't unsafe for women provided you're cautious and play it with people who are known to you. In any case, I'm not much into Holi, 'bhang' and fun.

Shabana Azmi: The state must ensure safety and protection for women and men must make sure that the day of celebration doesn't turn into an occasion for mourning.

Dino Morea: Being a religious festival, I'd presume it is safe for everyone, men or women. There are just some rare cases of miscreants picking on women. That's awful. And we must make sure such elements don't spoil the sanctity of the occasion.

Nandana Sen: As in any festival in the carnival spirit of non-stop revelry, women need to be careful. And why just women? Boys too. However, the risk factor should not prevent us from enjoying the most beautiful of celebrations.

Shefali Shah: Holi is unsafe for women if they're with strangers. That's why I celebrate it only with my family and close friends.

Malaika Arora: As a woman and parent, I'd advise you to keep a constant vigil on your kids and to watch your steps if you're a woman. There's always some pervert lurking somewhere waiting to take advantage. Let's face it. It's an unsafe world.

Manoj Bajpai: Holi is absolutely unsafe for women. I don't recommend a walk on the streets for any woman on this day.

Riya Sen: Though Holi isn't safe for women, it should be. Everyone should feel equally free as the festival is for every generation and gender. I feel it's a woman's prerogative to be where she chooses to be on Holi.

It's the government's job to ensure adequate security for women everywhere during Holi. Finally though, security is a matter of personal choice. We women are as safe as we want to be.

Tusshar Kapoor: Why just women? I think Holi is unsafe for everyone. We need to go easy on colours and revelry.

Koena Mitra: I've always been scared of Holi. I love 'gulal' (coloured powder). But it's true that a lot of people try to take advantage of the occasion. Strangers think they've the right to touch you just because it's Holi and you can't even protest without being called a spoilsport. So you either get upset or end up in a boy-bashing spree.

Amrita Arora: One should play Holi only with close friends. Otherwise, it gets dicey.

Celina Jaitley: I definitely think Holi is an unsafe time for women. People take advantage of women on the pretext of colouring them. Holi has also become a pretext for doing drugs and getting drunk.

Ravi Kishan: Holi is safe for women as long as they know where and with whom they're playing. Be with a group that doesn't take advantage of you.

Anurag Sinha: No I don't think Holi is unsafe for women. We as a society have evolved. We're civil as a rule. I'm sure people respect each other's dignity and space. And that goes for men as well as women.

Mahesh Bhatt: Why just Holi? India is and always has been unsafe for women.

Jiah Khan: Women have been celebrating Holi for centuries. There's no reason why they shouldn't continue to do so. If taken beyond limits, any situation gets unsafe. Let's all stay within boundaries. And Holi will continue to be barrels of fun.

Aryan Vaid: Holi does seem like a free-for-all for men. Women need to be cautious. They should play Holi only with people they know well.