Sona Mohapatra brings a balanced take to Anurag Kashyap case, speaks about how Hindi film industry reacted to Me Too

Singer Sona Mohapatra has tweeted about the sexual misconduct accusation against filmmaker Anurag Kashyap and the reaction from the film industry, while emphasising on every woman’s ‘right to tell the world her experience and truth’.

Amid several female actors supporting Anurag Kashyap, singer Sona Mohapatra has said she stands by Payal Ghosh’s right ‘to tell the world her experience and truth’, but added that ‘maligning other women publicly in the bargain basis heresay’ is ‘in bad taste’. The singer addressed Payal’s accusation of sexual misconduct against Anurag, as well as her perspective on India’s Me Too movement in a long Twitter thread.

Richa Chadha has reacted to a tweet by Sona Mohapatra.

In a Twitter thread, Sona addressed the Anurag Kashyap case and how every woman making such an accusation deserves a fair hearing and a probe. “Finally saw the video of Ms Payal Ghosh. I stand by her right to tell the world her experience & truth. Maligning other women publicly in the bargain basis heresay, in bad taste & wrong,” she said, alluding to Payal naming actors Richa Chaddha, Huma Qureshi and Mahie Gill in an interview.

Richa Chadha replied to Sona’s statement on Twitter and thanked her, “TY Sona,I fully support Ms.Ghosh’s quest for justice,it’s her right as a woman and as a citizen.Should he be found guilty after an investigation,the courts will take over.But I can’t overlook this vulgar, unwarranted personal attack on me by Ms.Ghosh,so I shall protect my name.”

ALSO WATCH | Singer Sona Mohapatra takes on ‘toxic celeb culture’ in Bollywood

Sona also spoke about Bollywood extending support to Anurag and her experience of working with him. “Also read the statement made by Ms Tapsee Pannu about Anurag Kashyap being the ‘biggest feminist’ she knew & I honestly buckled over gobsmacked. Shows how little she knows. Anyone would see otherwise if you just watched his films & his portrayal of women. Having said that The #MeToo movement is 1 where someone speaks their truth, in this case Payal is telling her story & for 100’s to be asking me about this has been a harrowing.I’ve worked with Anurag Kashyap. Haven’t experienced anything. Can’t make up a story to please the mob & sorry (not).”

Sona also spoke about lack of support from the film industry during India’s Me Too movement. “In the industry system that we have, convenience & coteries rule, not conscientiousness. Women; mostly pretty faces ‘seeking opportunities’ from men in the driving seats even after they achieve success. So @IndiaMeToo has had almost no working actor make a call out of consequence.”

She wrote in another tweet, “Forget about joining a movement like #Metoo , that didn’t happen but not one Veteran,young Turk,Queen or Princess from Bollywood expressed any solidarity for the few of us who fought lone, punishing battles.Interesting to see the opposite.Actresses for AK..Tells you a lot,” she wrote.

Sona added, “So, yes, none of this #SmashPatriarchy sloganeering by most of our industry rings true therefore... There are exceptions to this but exceptions don’t make the rule. I have met, even worked with some of these exceptions & feel grateful for that. Hope & pray that tribe grows.”

Richa recently sent a legal notice to Payal for ‘unnecessarily and falsely (dragging)’ her name into her allegations of sexual assault against Anurag. Payal had claimed that Anurag told her that female actors such as Richa, Mahie Gill and Huma Qureshi would perform sexual favours for him and he expected the same from her. Anurag has denied the allegations, calling them baseless and an attempt to silence him.

Follow @htshowbiz for more