In the wake of the #MeToo movement last year, Aamir Khan walked out of the Gulshan Kumar biopic titled Mogul after director Subhash Kapoor was accused by actress Geetika Tyagi for sexual misconduct.
He had put out a statement in October 2018 saying, “At Aamir Khan Productions we have always had a zero-tolerance policy towards sexual misconduct and predatory behaviour of any kind… Two weeks ago, when traumatic #MeToo stories began emerging, it was brought to our attention that someone we were about to begin work with has been accused of sexual misconduct. Without casting any aspersions on anyone involved in this case, and without coming to any conclusions about these specific allegations, we have decided to step away from this film.”
Yesterday, the news of Aamir returning to the biopic caused a rage on the internet. The Fanaah actor reversed his decision and told a leading daily that he felt differently about things now and that his wife Kiran Roa interacted with women who had worked with Subhash in the past.
Aamir said, “I couldn’t sleep at night because I used to constantly feel that my actions have inadvertently caused a person, about whose guilt I have absolutely no idea, to lose his right to work and earn a livelihood. And that’s when Kiran interacted with some women who had worked with Subhash Kapoor in the past. What we found is that, without exception, all of them spoke very highly of him. Not only did they not feel any discomfort with him, but rather they went out of their way to praise him. They said that he looked after everyone on his set with great care. Caring, sensitive and supportive were the words used to describe him. Mind you, both Kiran and I are fully aware that these particular women may have had a very good experience working with Mr Kapoor, but that does not mean that he could not have misbehaved with some other woman. However, I cannot deny that this interaction with women who had worked with him, did give us comfort. And so, taking everything into account, I wrote back to IFTDA (Indian Film and Television Directors’ Association) saying I have reconsidered my decision, and that I would come back on to the film.”
Actress Tanushree Dutta who spearheaded the #MeToo movement in Bollywood wasn’t too pleased with Aamir Khan’s decision. In an interview with a leading daily, she said, “How come nobody in Bollywood has sleepless nights when a woman becomes a victim of abuse and is not able to work due to the trauma and ostracisation… If he has agreed to hire this guy, why not hire the woman who suffered the consequences of his actions? Why do only the creepy men of Bollywood get compassion? Let the girls also see some of that saintly do-goodery. Compassion should be universal. If it’s so selective as is being displayed by the Bollywood’s bigwigs, then it’s not compassion. It’s convenience and ignorance. Nobody bothered to ask me how I was doing when my livelihood was snatched away after the Horn Ok Pleassss harassment episode. No compassion for me, Aamir?”
This isn’t the first case we have seen in the recent past – #MeToo accused Alok Nath was also cast in De De Pyaar De starring Ajay Devgn, Tabu and Rakulpreet Singh in titular roles.
What do you think about Aamir’s decision? Let us know in the comment section.
Featured Image: Instagram
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