November 17, 2017
Actress Radhika Apte feels that sexual abuse does not
only exist in the world of showbiz but takes place in every alternate household.
"Sexual abuse takes place in every alternate household. So it's not a
part of just the film industry. You have so much child abuse, domestic abuse
everywhere in the world, including India," Radhika told IANS over phone from
Mumbai.
She says it exists in "every field and household at some level or
the other and that it all needs to be eliminated".
Sexual abuse does not
target just women, stresses Radhika.
"It's also towards men, little boys
and everybody. People exploit their power at every level."
Radhika
asserted that this needed to change.
"I think it starts from us putting
our foot down and saying 'no' to things, however big your ambition is. You need
to be brave about it, believe in your own talent, say 'no' and start speaking up
because if one person speaks up, nobody is going to listen to him or her. But if
10 people do, then others would (listen to them)," she said.
The "Phobia"
actress, who will be seen mentoring budding filmmakers in MTV's upcoming digital
show "Fame-istan", says there has to be a more organised platform for people to
work.
"There has to be more professional platforms as well as rules in
place which is slowly happening."
Sexual abuse has been a topic of debate
in Bollywood and Hollywood. Prominent names from the entertainment industry are
discussing how men in power take advantage of women in exchange for taking
forward their dreams.
The sexual harassment saga started when a media
house published a story in October revealing numerous accusations of sexual
abuse against Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein.
But why are no names
taken in the case of casting couch in Bollywood?
"Because of fear,
because people who have great ambitions are afraid. They think of what will
happen to them if they take somebody's name who has so much power. That's what I
am saying. Everybody has to speak up," she added.
Radhika ventured into
Bollywood in 2005 with "Vaah! Life Ho Toh Aisi!" and since then has explored
genres like thriller, drama and adult comedy with films like "Rakht Charitra",
"Shor in the City", "Badlapur", "Parched" and "Hunterrr".
Was it a
conscious decision to act less in commercial entertainers?
Radhika said:
"Nothing like that. You have to choose from the work that you have. You can't
say that 'I want that' if that's not been offered to you. So, whatever is
offered to you, you choose from that. You make your choice whatever you feel is
going to be more challenging or something that inspires you or excites you."
She says she makes her choices in the "spur of the moment" with whatever she
feels intuitively. "I am not a very big planner."