Indian sexual harassment film puts Bollywood in the spotlight
Director says movie will promote much-needed debate on the way women are treated in society
A new Indian film looks at the sensitive topic of sexual harassment in the workplace at a time when Bollywood has come under fire for its portrayal of women, after a fatal gang-rape shocked the nation.
Inkaar (Denial), a Hindi movie combining crime and romance, explores how a relationship turns sour between Rahul, the alpha male CEO of an advertising agency, and his ambitious protégée Maya, who rises up the company’s ranks.
She claims sexual harassment, a charge he denies, and the film develops through flashbacks as the pair tell their story to a social worker looking at the case.
The theme is an unusual one in an industry that has faced fresh criticism for objectifying women as merely skimpily dressed arm candy for a macho hero.
The gang-rape and murder of a 23-year-old student on a New Delhi bus on December 16 sent shockwaves across the nation, leading to much soul-searching about its treatment and portrayal of women.
Director Sudhir Mishra said the timing of Inkaar’s release, on Friday, was a coincidence but he hoped the film would spark debate on under-discussed issues facing modern and rapidly urbanising India.
“The film explains the environment of a workplace from both men’s and women’s points of view,” he said.