#METOO gaining momentum: Next is Chetan Bhagat

As Tanushree Dutta and Nana Patekarcontroversy rocked Bollywood, the MeToo movement finally gained momentum in India. Now, women from all fields are coming forward with their horrifying experiences and naming and shaming the offenders. The latest addition to the list of powerful men is writer Chetan Bhagat. As screenshots of his conversation with an anonymous woman went viral on Friday, the author came forward and issued an apology.

Accepting that the viral screenshots are indeed real, Bhagat in a long post on Facebook said he was "really sorry. The conversation was shared on the Twitter by a multimedia journalist, who has been collecting various stories of women. According to the conversation seen on the screenshot, Bhagat is seen saying, "You are sweet and cute and funny and a nice human being. So I have decided to woo you. [sic]

"I am really sorry to person concerned. The screenshots are of course real, and I am sorry if you felt they were wrong I hope you will accept my apology, he wrote.

Saying that the conversation is "several years old, to his defence for his flirting, he said that he certainly felt a connection with the woman, something he hadn't felt in a while. "As I also say in the screenshots, I realized I was married and this was not about looking for any action. I just had not felt that kind of connection in a while, he added.

Arguing that maybe he "was going through a phase, maybe these things just happen he agreed that it was "stupid of him. He informed that he apologised to his wife Anusha. "Once again, I am sorry to the person concerned, and of course most of all to Anusha. I hope you can forgive me, he wrote.

And for those asking how his wife would have reacted, he clarified, "For everyone's information, am running this response past Anusha first, to ensure she is okay with it.

Dear All,

I would like to make a couple of points about the screenshots that someone has shared just a couple of hours ago. It has taken me this much time because I saw them a bit late, and then I was in a conversation with Anusha. I am telling you all whatever I told her, which to my recollection is the truth.

But first of all, I am really sorry to person concerned. The screenshots, are of course real, and I am sorry if you felt they were wrong I hope you will accept my apology.

Just in terms of more information, these screenshots are several years old, and I had met the person in question a couple of times. We hit it off really well as a friendship, and as I say in the screenshots, I did feel a strong connection with her. I did find her a good human being, sweet, cute and funny (as I also say in the screenshots).

As I also say in the screenshots, I realized I was married and this was not about looking for any action. I just had not felt that kind of connection in a while. Maybe I was going through a phase, maybe these things just happen, or maybe I felt the person felt the same too based on our conversations (which I don't need to repeat here). However, it was stupid of me, to feel that way and to even share that with her. I just told Anusha about it as well, and apologized to her for doing the same. I should have had better judgement, but I guess I erred a bit there. Maybe I misread the friendliness. Also, I am not completely sure because it was long ago, but the wooing' bit may have come from a conversation we had about how nobody woos anyone anymore and how sometimes one misses being wooed. My new book then was also about women (One Indian Girl) and we also discussed wooing and relationships in that context.

Also, I also want to clarify that there never was was nothing physical, no lewd pictures or words that were ever exchanged. I think I deleted the person's number soon thereafter and we haven't been in touch for years.

We do feel certain things sometimes, and I did too. I found this person special, and different from all others I had met. I shouldn't have, and maybe I shouldn't have shared it with that person in a private conversation either.

Once again, I am sorry to the person concerned, and of course most of all to Anusha. I hope you can forgive me.

For everyone's information, am running this response past Anusha first, to ensure she is okay with it.

Regards,
Chetan