Meesha Shafi has stepped forward to support the Aurat March after it faced backlash over a doctored video, which is being widely circulated on social media.
“Classic, twisted and dark,” wrote the singer on Twitter. “A marginalized, victimized and vulnerable sector of society takes peacefully to the streets on a universally designated single day set aside for them, the usual rabid suspects take it straight into the twilight zone!”
“Corona ko kahin hum na ho jayein,” she added on a humorous note.
In another tweet, Shafi shed light on the main reason behind the backlash.
“And remember, this whole thing started this time because a young lady displayed a poster stating she was sexually abused by a maulvi,” said the singer.
“Pedophiles are running free. Children can’t play. But the #AuratMarch is a western agenda,” she said further, adding: “This is what epic gaslighting looks like!”
And remember, this whole thing started this time because a young lady displayed a poster stating she was sexually abused by a maulvi. PEDOPHILES are running free. Children can’t play. But the #AuratMarch is a western agenda. This is what EPIC GASLIGHTING LOOKS LIKE!
Naumaan Ijaz has often ruffled feathers with his opinions on the global #MeToo movement and thoughts on feminism.
The veteran actor in a recent interview talked about his character in Dunk and the “misuse” of #MeToo movement.
Responding to a question about controversies these days, Ijaz said: “Controversies are not created from our side they are created [by other people], for [their own] personal interests.”
He continued: “The problem we have here is that sometimes someone says something in a different state of mind and we don’t understand the context and we just cherry-pick.”
The actor added that controversies don’t bother him and people can say whatever they want about him.
Talking about the criticism he faced for his character in Dunk, Ijaz said: “The criticism should have been subjected on the character or the subject, not on me.”
“The story is based upon real incident, that happened in Punjab, where someone was falsely accused harassment,” shared Ijaz. “Whenever we accuse someone we do not realise the impact that accusation will have on that person, and their family.”
The actor continued: “No one has tried to sabotage the #MeToo Movement. No one should [be allowed to] harass anyone. There should be a punishment for it [harassment].”
“But who will decide if it actually happened [the harassment]?, he questioned.
“We have black sheeps in our society who manipulate right things in a wrong way,” stated Naumaan. “[We are] just pointing out that this can also happen [false accusations of harassment]. So before punishing anyone, it is better to investigate and verify.”
He further said: “Iss play se to mere khayal mein hakoomat ko yeh faisla karna chaheeye kay iss mulk me jhoota ilzam lagani ki bhi koi saza honi chaheeye (The government should consider making false accusations of harassment a crime in the country).”
Meanwhile, answering a question about an interview he gave earlier in which he talked about cheating on his wife and getting away with it because he is such “a great actor,” Naumaan said: “I am only answerable to Allah. I don’t bother with what people think.”
Later, in a social media post, Ijaz said: “We love to hate. If we don’t like anyone, just ignore. But no, it’s our farz to abuse or write something nasty in [the] comments.”
“How can we talk about tolerance when we don’t have it in us,” he added.
More than two years after Sajid Khan was first accused of sexual harassment and misconduct, Sherlyn Chopra has leveled fresh accusations against the Bollywood filmmaker, alleging he had flashed his genitals in front of her and asked her to feel his penis.
Recounting an incident that took place back in 2005, the Indian actress wrote, “When I had met him in April 2005, a few days after my father’s demise, he had taken his penis out of his pants and had asked me to feel it. I remember having told him that I know how a penis feels like and that the purpose of my meeting with him was not to feel or rate his penis.”
Sherlyn went on to say that she is not accusing him but disclosing facts, adding that their phone record is proof of the incident.
“It’s not an accusation but the disclosure of a fact. Our phone records of the past may be checked regarding the same. After flashing his penis, he had not only asked me to touch it and feel it but also asked me if I had ever seen a penis as well endowed as his.”
She further said: “I was emotionally broken at the time as in early April 2005, I had lost my father, late Dr Prem Sagar Chopra. A few days after my father’s demise, I was called for a meeting by the filmmaker. Little did I know that the meeting would be centred around his penis!”
Later, when a Twitter user asked why she did not file a complaint about her own experience, Sherlyn replied: “He has the ‘superstars’ of Bollywood to vouch for his ‘character’. It’s my word against theirs.”
He has the ‘superstars’ of Bollywood to vouch for his ‘character’. It’s my word against theirs. The Bollywood mafia is a strong syndicate. https://t.co/x5hUm1tzVm
— Sherlyn Chopra (शर्लिन चोपड़ा) (@SherlynChopra) January 18, 2021
Chopra’s “disclosure of facts” come days after BBC released Death in Bollywood. The three-episode documentary series traces the mysterious death of late actress Jiah Khan who allegedly died allegedly by suicide in 2013. It has only been released in the United Kingdom for now.
In the second episode of the series, Khan’s sister Karishma made explosive revelations, saying that Khan subjected her sister to sexual abuse. She alleged that the filmmaker had asked Jiah to remove her top and bra while shooting for Housefull movie. The film also featured prominent actors such as Akshay Kumar, Deepika Padukone, Riteish Deshmukh, Arjun Rampal, Lara Dutta, Boman Irani, Randhir Kapoor, Chunky Pandey, and Malaika Arora.
Meanwhile, Akshay Kumar, in 2019 had said that he would work with Sajid if he is acquitted.
“I don’t know exactly what has happened in his case but if everything goes well and if he is acquitted, I will surely work with him in the future,” Kumar had said.
