Sanchita
#Me Too movement had gained momentum in India in 2018, with celebs like Nana Patekar, Sajid Khan, Vikas Bahl and more under the scanner.
Netflix’s web series Bombay Begums, starring Pooja Bhatt, Shahana Goswami, Amruta Subhash, Plabita Borthakur and Aadhya Anand has also explored this sensitive issue.
In conversation with Rediff, Plabita Borthakur opened up on playing the character of Ayesha, who is sexually molested by her boss Deepak (played by Manish Chaudhari) in his car when he offers her a lift.
When asked if she was apprehensive about how the Me too storyline was handled in the show, Plabita replied – “No, I wasn’t. In fact, I really liked the way the show has dealt with this topic. When I read the script, I felt that Ayesha is very easily that person whom some people will judge and say that she asked for it.”
She further elaborated, “I feel this happens more to women who are outgoing. Also, the fact that Deepak’s character is not an out and out sexual predator, looking for just that. He was like, okay, you’ve been eyeing me all night.
So I liked the way it was done because I felt it was more real, rather than a more dramatic take where a girl feels that oh, I must fight for my rights. People get confused.”
Addressing the MeToo wave in the film industry, Plabita commented – “There were so many times when the #MeToo wave was happening and so many names were coming out, and you don’t expect (certain people to be named)… and you are like oh, this person’s name is coming out, oh that person’s name is coming out…
Obviously, everybody is different with different people, right?
That’s also what I liked about the show. Like, the way Fatima’s character is shocked and she is sure that it can’t be him. That’s something I could relate to.”
