The Meesha Shafi case was finally decided in Ali Zafar’s favour and the lady was asked to pay Rs. 5 million as defamation charges. This sparked a lot of controversy, especially amongst the female community, who felt that the verdict was heavily skewed in favour of the male singer. The case went on for eight years and attracted a lot of media attention, with the Me Too movement being dragged into the equation and often being cited in this context.
The Me Too movement has gained immense traction and rightly so, because sexual harassment is a serious allegation. A play called Grey aired on Green a couple of years ago, which was about how an actress accuses a member of her fraternity of sexual harassment. That play expertly captured the ramifications and consequences of this allegation and how it ended up destroying the male actor’s personal and professional life. It also exposed the vindictiveness and malevolence of the lady in question, who had no qualms about wrecking someone’s career in order to quench her thirst for revenge.
Although it is generally assumed that the fairer sex is a victim of sexual harassment, it can have extremely serious repercussions for men also. Without generalising, there are a number of women who have played the Me Too card to grab their two seconds in the spotlight, give a boost to their fledgling careers, or merely as a publicity stunt. The Bollywood film Heroine, starring Kareena Kapoor and Arjun Rampal, exposes the kind of stunts and underhand tactics that celebrities will employ, right before the release of a film, to generate traffic.
Controversy, after all, is better than anonymity, and we all know individuals who become embroiled in one controversy after another to make sure they stay relevant and do not fade into insignificance. Some are just hungry for success, while others are afraid of becoming a has-been; after all, stardom, fame, and success are an addiction, and once you become hooked, you need your regular dose in order to function and maintain your sanity and sense of normalcy.
Generally, in any profession, hard work and talent are never sufficient for a person to make it to the top. Networking, Public Relations, and currying favour with the right people will definitely earn you brownie points and ensure your longevity in any field you choose. Talent and hard work are like the cherries on top, but whether you are self-employed or not, compromises have to be made in your personal and professional life. That could mean compromising on your morals or your self-respect, but it is a well-known fact that the tree that bends and is flexible survives, while the one that doesn’t breaks.
When people are climbing the ladder, the majority, depending on how money mad and desperate they are for fame, will have no qualms about bending the rules. The casting couch does exist and not only applies to women, but to men also. It has often been discussed and spoken about, and hailing from a filmi background might help you with your first breakthrough, but eventually, your talent, grit, and perseverance will determine whether you reach the top or fall by the wayside.
At the risk of sounding politically incorrect, it is not unheard of for women to play the aurat card when they feel it will benefit them or work in their favour. Many use their feminine wiles and charms to bag roles opposite big stars and later accuse them of taking advantage of them. Again, this discussion is not only restricted to the fairer sex – it goes both ways. Men have and will continue to use women and vice versa. However, if you are willing to use or be used, you should be honest enough to admit it. If whatever happens is consensual, one person cannot be blamed for it. Later on, one party cannot accuse the other of harassment if they were fully complicit.
People will do what they can to further their personal or professional agendas, and no one has the right to stand in judgment of anyone, but people do, because it is easier. Why people do what they do merits a separate article, but if whatever happens is consensual, one individual cannot be blamed or should not take the blame for it.
It is incorrect to say that only women face the fallout from charges of sexual harassment; the play mentioned above expertly captures how it completely destroys the lives of men, also. Women feel insecure around them, and it places a big question mark on their identity. If they have families, they face the fallout also, so before levying charges of sexual abuse and harassment against anyone, the consequences and ramifications should be fully considered.
Grey was a laudable endeavor to shed light on an issue that is often not openly discussed, and generally, women are considered the victims. Men are not always the culprits, but as this is something that is not socially accepted or often discussed or talked about, people prefer to brush it under the carpet. Women who continue playing the aurat card are trivialising and belittling what is in fact a serious offence. Using it to promote and further your own personal or professional agendas is condemnable and warrants strict legal action.
The writer is an educationist and can be reached at gaiteeara@hotmail.com.