WHAT! Did Saroj Khan just defend casting couch in Bollywood?

Despite being an independent nation for the last 70 years, a woman’s safety in India still continues to be in serious jeopardy. After the horrific Nirbhaya and Asifa incidents, we are being rechristened as the Rape Capital and it’s only tarnishing the country’s repute and prestige in the eyes of the outside world. Incidents of sexual harassment and abuse are rampant, particularly in the entertainment business, the so called glitz and glamour that attracts and lures common people isn’t all that bright and breezy. As reported earlier, people like Jeetendra and Ali Zafar have been accused of the same recently.

Alas, when women too, make statements that reek irresponsibility and embarrassment, things only get worse. Saroj Khan, one of the most respected and reputed choreographers of Hindi Cinema, just made a statement so bizarre and balderdash, it was shocking it came from someone as experienced and admired as her. Defending the deplorable existence of the Casting Couch in the Hindi film industry, these were her words, “This is going on from ‘Baba Adam’s times’, It is not new. Someone or the other always tries to take an advantage of a girl. The government does it too, then why are we only behind the film industry? It provides livelihood at least. Does not rape and leave you. It is up to the girl, what she wants to do. If you don’t want to fall into wrong hands, you won’t. If you have art, why would you sell yourself? Don’t take the film industry’s name, it is everything to us.”

Dear Saroj Khan, if this industry meant everything to you, this wouldn’t have been your statement in the first place. Rightly questioning her choices of words was actor Sophie Choudry, who was appalled to know the ace choreographer’s take, and shockingly expressed her thoughts on her Twitter account:-

WTH?!!!! So much respect for Saroj-ji as a choreographer but this is how she uses her position to protect girls?!!! If I didn’t come from a financially sound background I would have returned to London within a month of being in mumbai cos of “industry folk” who think like that!! https://t.co/mUqql4MpFh

— Sophie Choudry (@Sophie_Choudry) April 24, 2018

However, Saroj Khan, within a few hours of the expected backlash, said this, “I apologize for my statement“. Nothing more, nothing less. Let’s see how far this issue goes.

Hope Bollywood celebrities make statements more responsibly, especially when it comes to such severe and critical issues.

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