Actors also use their sexuality to get things done: Ekta Kapoor
Mumbai: Indian film and television personality Ekta Kapoor says there are powerful producers who use their position to exploit aspirants in showbiz, but then there are also actors who use their sexuality to get work.
Ekta made the comment amid the hullabaloo over sexual harassment allegations that emerged across showbiz globally after several names in Hollywood came out against producer Harvey Weinstein, followed by complaints against a slew of actors and filmmakers.
She was present along with actress Nimrat Kaur on Mirror Now's show "The Town Hall", hosted by journalist Barkha Dutt. She was asked if a Harvey Weinstein also exists in Bollywood, and if the #MeToo campaign has helped women come out with their story in the entertainment industry.
Ekta said: "Well, I think there are Harvey Weinstein in Bollywood, but there is probably an equal number of Harvey Weinstein on the other side of the story, but people do not want to talk about that part. Yes, there are people in power like producers who use their power to take advantage of people, but at the same time there are people on the other side, like an actor or others who need the job, would also use their sexuality to get things done.
"Therefore, I believe that predators should not be put in a box based on power. It is always not true that the person who does not have power is the victim,.
Citing an example, Ekta said: "Being a producer, on a personal level when I talk to my male counterparts, they said they were propositioned blatantly. Is that person not a predator?
"In our industry, if one actor meets a producer at 2 a.m. and hooks up with him and after five days, if she wants a job based on that and the producer doesn't give the job because he wants personal and professional things separate, then who is the victim here? The interpretation is always that the powerful person took advantage of the poor little budding actor or something that is always not the truth."
Ekta's father Jeetendra was earlier this month accused of sexually harassing his cousin, who came forward to file a police complaint 47 years after the alleged incident. Jeetendra dubbed the charges as "baseless," and a "miserable effort by a jealous competitor to disrupt his business activities."
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Four held in Kalaburagi for brutal murder of man
Kalaburagi: Four men have been arrested in Kalaburagi on charge of hacking a man with lethal weapons and pelting stones at him under the limits of Station Bazaar Police Station recently.
According to police sources, Anand Jalak Shinde (34), Ashitosh Jalak Shinde (30), Imran Mehboob Sheikh (28) and Sohaib Anwar Qureshi have been arrested. The men are accused of the brutal murder of Syed Mehboob, a resident of Station Bazaar Upper Line Hamalawadi in the city.
An FIR was filed by the Station Bazaar Police Station based on a complaint given by Syed Ismail, father of the deceased Syed Mehboob.
Following quick probe, the police team successfully arrested the suspects within 24 hours. The arrested men were produced in court and have been sent to judicial custody.
The City Police Commissionerate has appreciated in an official release the police team’s quick solving of the murder case and arrest of the four men accused of murdering Syed Mehboob.
