Anirban Das Blah, who owns one of the biggest talent management companies - Kwan Entertainment is under the radar as four women have recounted how he made sexual advances at them. It is the same talent management company that handles Padmaavat actress Deepika Padukone's work.
One of the survivors, who refuse to be named, in an interview with mid-day revealed how Anirban once invited her to a hotel room to take her auditions where he asked her to strip. And when she refused, he tried to forcefully kiss her. #MeToo in Bollywood: Saqib Salem Shares Horrific Details of Being Sexually Harassed at The Age of 21.
She revealed she hails from a family of theatre actors and approached Anirban for some work in Bollywood. She shared with him his portfolio and he expressed an interest to handle her work. "When I went there, I realised his wife and kids were out of town. We sat down to discuss my background and a possible career in films, when he said, 'Waise toh tum hot ho. Why don't you strip down and show me your body? I think you could be considered for sexy parts.' I brushed aside his remark, saying, 'You have a B-grade producer's mentality. Do you consider only a woman stripping sexy? I think a woman in a pair of jeans and top could also be sexy.' I was in awe of Konkona's [Sen Sharma] work and wanted to created a similar niche. I made it clear that his views of my career trajectory did not match mine. Towards the end of the meeting, he smugly said, 'You are way too independent and headstrong to be an actress.' He pulled me into a sudden hug and tried to kiss me. I immediately turned my face around, so he planted a peck on my cheek. I pushed him away and was out of his flat in a minute. After this incident, he reached out to me a few times but I never responded." Ask her why she didn't report Blah to the police and she says, "I would be asked, 'Why did you go over to his place?' If the internal sexual harassment committee had to act on it, they would have acted by now. His stories are an open secret."
Another actor reveals details of an incident when Das humiliated her by saying she had small breasts and hence won't have a long run in the industry. She said, "Blah is a unique predator. First, you are made to feel inferior about your looks, your body. He told me I have small breasts, and hence, won't have a long run in the Indian market."
You can read accounts of all survivors on mid-day.com here.
The #MeToo movement has brought forth names of predators not just in Bollywood but in other spheres too. Let's hope the laws against sexual harassment get more stringent after this. We sincerely hope that some action is taken against those proven guilty.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 16, 2018 10:24 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
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