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‘Women, come out and speak.’
Actor-politician Khushboo Sundar has been quite vocal about the ongoing #MeToo controversy in the Malayalam film industry.
“To all the men out there, I implore you to stand by the victim and show your unwavering support. Every man was born to a woman, who endured incredible pain and sacrifice. Stand with us, protect us and honour the women who have given you life and love,” Khushboo tells Subhash K Jha
Would you say this is a defining moment for the #MeToo movement in the Indian entertainment industry?
This moment of #MeToo prevailing in our industry breaks you. Kudos to the women who have stood their ground and emerged victorious.
The Hema Committee was much needed to break the abuse.
But will it?
Abuse, asking for sexual favours and expecting women to compromise to gain a foothold or accelerate their careers exists in every field.
Why is a woman alone expected to go through the grind?
Although men too face it, it’s comparatively women who bear the brunt.
What is the solution?
I had a long conversation with my 24-year-old and 21-year-old daughters about this. I was amazed at their empathy and understanding towards the victims. They firmly support them and stand with them.
It doesn’t matter whether you speak today or tomorrow, just speak.
Speaking up immediately would help in healing and investigating more effectively.
But there is the fear of being shamed?
The fear of being shamed, victim blaming, and questions like ‘Why did you do it?’ or ‘What made you do it?’ break her.
The victim might be a stranger to you or me, but she needs our support, an ear to listen. She needs emotional backing from us.
When questioning why she didn’t come out earlier, we need to consider her circumstances: not everyone is privileged to speak out.
As a woman and a mother, and a target of abuse, how deeply do the confessions of sexual exploitations affect you?
The wounds inflicted by such violence cut deep, not only in the flesh but in the very soul.
These acts of brutality shake the foundations of our trust, love and strength.
Behind every mother, there’s a will to nurture and protect, and when that sanctity is shattered, it affects us all.
Photograph: Kind courtesy Khushboo Sundar/Instagram
As a victim of abuse yourself, it must have required immense courage to speak up?
Some ask me what took me so long to speak about my father’s abuse. I agree I should have spoken earlier.
But what happened to me was not a compromise to build my career.
I was abused at the hands of the person who was supposed to provide me the strongest arms to hold me if I fell.
What is your message to the men close to women who are victim of sexual abuse?
To all the men out there, I implore you to stand by the victim and show your unwavering support. Every man was born to a woman, who endured incredible pain and sacrifice.
Many women play indispensable roles in your upbringing, shaping you into the person you are today — your mothers, sisters, aunts, teachers and friends.
Your solidarity can be a beacon of hope, a symbol that justice and kindness will prevail.
Stand with us, protect us and honour the women who have given you life and love.
Let your voice be heard in the fight against violence and let your actions reflect the respect and empathy that every woman deserves.
Remember, we are stronger together, and only together can we mend these wounds and pave the way for a safer, more compassionate world.
Many women are still unwilling to speak about their exploitation.
Many women don’t even have the support of their families.
They come from small towns with stars in their eyes, hoping to shine brightly but often find their dreams nipped and crushed at the bud.
This should be a wake-up call to all.
Let the exploitation stop here.
Women, come out and speak.
Remember, you always have a choice in life. Your no is definitely a no.
Never adjust or compromise on your dignity and respectability.
I stand with all the women who have been through this.
Do you feel this focus on abuse in the Malayalam film industry is just the beginning?
We are focusing on cinema. Sexual advances, abuses and indecent proposals happen in every field.
A woman goes through this every day, in a bus, a train, in a queue, everywhere.
Cinema is looked at through a magnifying glass.
Do not crucify cinema.
There are a few incidents that definitely need to be adhered to, and the mess cleaned up.
Every field where a woman works needs to have a committee where women can complain and justice will get delivered.
But cases have to be thoroughly investigated.
Cinema is the most beautiful industry and the safest place to be in. I have worked with the most amazing men who have made sure to protect me.
