Kangana Ranaut reveals a man pinched her butt in public, says women have to be responsible for their safety
Kangana Ranaut has opened up about the #MeToo movement in India and how it changed the landscape, ahead of the release of her film, Manikarnika. Kangana plays Rani Laxmibai in the film, that she has also co-directed.
Kangana, who had accused her Queen director Vikas Bahl of inappropriate behaviour earlier, says people and their attitudes have changed after influential celebs were accused during the #MeToo movement. βPeople will think twice now because of certain things that were reported. Earlier, everyone knew about some five-six names, but no one was doing anything about it. Today, they are out there exposed. Though that may not seem enough, it has some significance,β she said.
Supporting Rani Mukerjiβs stance that women should be taught martial arts to keep themselves safe, Kangana said a woman needs to be responsible for her own safety. She said it was sad that Rani was trolled for her comments.
βMaybe Rani was not able to articulate herself, but if you see the way she leads her life, she is the epitome of womenβs empowerment. Anyone who knows her wouldnβt find her weak or timid. There are people who talk a lot, but they donβt necessarily live up to it,β Kangana said.
During journalist Rajeev Masandβs roundtable, Rani had said that βit is important for women to believe in themselves and say that if they donβt want it to happen, it will not happenβ. When actor Deepika Padukone, also a part of the discussion, had said not everyone is constructed that way, Rani had said, βThose are the women we need to talk to and tell them, you guys need to change.β
Kangana, citing her own experience, also reiterated that you cannot expect another person to be responsible for your safety. βI was pinched on my butt in the middle of a group and that person was right there, looking at me. It was not even sexual, it was like βI did exactly what I was not supposed to doβ. And looking me in the eye like βwhat are you going to do now?β So, what do you expect?
βI think somewhere we should tell the girls that there are a few rules. Donβt say βmaybe,β when you want to say βnoβ, itβs important. Your safety doesnβt mean you can do taekwondo and karate. It also means you go to someone who can save you; it may be a teacher, an uncle you trust, a friend, or the Mumbai Police, or go to the media, find a journalist and expose them,β she added.