Varalaxmi Sarath Kumar says that one must give the benefit of doubt to victims of sexual harassment. In an extensive interview with Puthiya Thalaimurai, the actor spoke about the #MeToo movement in India and the predators that it has unmasked.
“For women to talk about it now, irrespective of when the assault or harassment happened, is a big thing. We must give them the benefit of doubt. Victims must always be believed when they come out with their stories. We shame the victim and let the harasser go. As a society we must feel ashamed.”
Varalaxmi says that as a victim of child abuse and sexual harassment she knows the pain that other victims suffer. For them to reveal it now takes immense courage. “So we must not ask people like Chinmayi why she did not come out with this accusation earlier. We don’t know her background and what her life was like. We must only applaud her courage in standing up for herself right now. If she can back up her claims, I will stand by her.”
The actor also alleged that such instances of sexual harassment and abuse are not new to the film industry. “As an industry we tend to hush up incidents like this. The film industry is old and the practice of shutting down victims of abuse is old as well.”
Varalaxmi revealed last year that she was sexually harassed. She says that many senior artists had made statements in which they said that such practices never happened to them. “This sort of casting couch is prevalent in the industry. When I spoke out about my own issue, many senior artistes expressed sympathy at my plight. But they also said that this sort of thing has never happened to them. That is entirely false. This is prevalent in the industry. The industry has always chosen to tamp down such instances. We always try to hide it. We must blame our thinking where in we shame the victim. That is why many people refuse to come out with their stories.”
Aditi Rao Hydari recently said that she had lost out on three films because she was not okay with the demands that were made. “I have experienced this. Many times my manager has spoken with people who have rejected me for roles. They say that I am very honest and won’t adjust. You have to go away with the hero for ten days and then with the director. I have never done this.”
She also says that the film industry is not willing to accept that these incidents happen. “If you see on social media, only myself, Siddharth and Samantha have spoken up about this. Prakash Raj sir has recently come out also. But by and large there is radio silence. I don’t understand why. Are the people refusing to come out and support scared that they will also be accused? Is that why they are keeping quiet?”
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The film industry is male dominated, Varalaxmi says, where every man backs another. “They are not coming out now because we have to accept that the Tamil film industry is a male chauvinistic one. They all have each others backs. Who knows what happened in their past?”
To a question from the interviewer whether the male actors were afraid of being accused of abuse, Varalaxmi replied in the affirmative.
She blamed the women artistes from the previous generation for the situation that the younger lot find themselves in. “They were okay with such things. That is why we are here now.”
The actor also stressed on the importance of sex education in her interview. “Mothers must talk to their children about good touch and bad touch. Else how will we combat child abuse? It is idiotic to feel shame about sex. India is number 1 in terms of population. You will do it but you won’t talk about it? That’s idiotic.”