Filmmaker Vinta Nanda slams Imtiaz Ali for his comment on casting couch in Bollywood: ‘Kareena Kapoor is safe because…’

Imtiaz Ali spoke about the issue of casting couch, stating how the idea that compromising in Bollywood can pave the path to success is a myth.

Imtiaz Ali's recent comment on casting couch in Bollywood did not sit well with TV writer-producer Vinta Nanda. She took to her Instagram account to school the director for making such statements on an issue with ‘no experience’. Imtiaz spoke on casting couch issue in Bollywood at IFFI Goa, where he shrugged off the perception that compromising guarantees success. (Also read: Imtiaz Ali on casting couch in Bollywood: ‘Belief that compromising will improve your chances is a myth’)

Vinta Nanda said that Imtiaz Ali should stop pontificating about what women face in the entertainment industry.

What Vinta said about Imtiaz's comments

Taking to her Instagram, Vinta posted a statement that read, “Imtiaz Ali should stop pontificating about what women face in the entertainment industry. Naturally, a Kareena Kapoor is safe because she is privileged. And, he surely must know that the casting couch exists! Why has IFFI Goa selected him to speak on behalf of women? Is it to whitewash the truth? If men like him had the courtesy to abstain from speaking on a subject they have no experience about, one will believe that change in the taken place."

‘He should have abstained from speaking’

In the caption, she tagged Imtiaz Ali and wrote: “It’s shocking to see reports of @imtiazaliofficial making all sorts of statements about women’s issues on an important industry platform like @iffigoa. With zero experience, he should have abstained from speaking instead. Who believes there’s no casting couch in the entertainment industry and that women are safe here Raise your hands!”

As per a report by India Today, at IFFI Goa, Imtiaz said, “Let me tell you, if a woman or girl cannot say 'no,' her chances of succeeding don’t necessarily increase. It’s not like if a girl compromises, she’ll definitely get a role. If a girl can say 'no' and respects herself, only then will others respect her too. People like me and many others often think about whether we take someone seriously or not; we need to respect a person to cast her.”

Imtiaz's last film as a director was the Netflix release Amar Singh Chamkila, a biopic starring Diljit Dosanjh and Parineeti Chopra.