Amruta Subhash recalls sexual harassment incidents in the film industry

Actress Amruta Subhash, known for her work in films like Dhamaka, Wonder Women, and the series Lust Stories 2, recently spoke about the sexual harassment she faced in the film industry. She shared two incidents involving powerful men who crossed boundaries and emphasized the importance of standing up against inappropriate behaviour.

When Amruta was inappropriately touched by a producer

Recalling one such moment from her theatre days during an interview with Zoom, Amruta said, “There was a producer of a play. I was climbing some stairs, and maybe my top lifted slightly—I didn’t even realise. I felt something—a hand near my waist. I turned around, and it was a big producer. I just looked at him and said, ‘What did you just do? What was that?’ And he just brushed it off, saying, ‘It’s nothing,’ pretending as if nothing had happened. I said, ‘I felt it. What was that?’ Everybody was stunned because he was such a big name. He said, ‘No, no, your top just moved up,’ and I said, ‘It’s none of your business! How dare you touch me there? You can`t do that!’”

Amruta said she did not hold back and stood her ground, even as people around her feared the consequences. “Everybody was like, ‘Her roles will be gone,’ and I said, ‘Let it go to hell.’ Because you can’t touch me anywhere without consent, I just gave it back to him. He was elderly—very elderly. Still, I directly gave it back to him, right there.”

Amruta confronted man who asked her for drinks at night 

Speaking about another incident, she mentioned how a senior figure in the industry repeatedly asked her to drink with him at night. After he continued to pressure her, she decided to confront him.

“I went. His room was right there. I banged the door open and entered. I knew people were watching. He was shocked. I looked into his eyes and said, ‘Sir, you are my father`s age. Why are you talking to me like this? What is your problem?’ I said it calmly but directly. And in his eyes, I saw the awkwardness. Of course, I left the door open—not just for his sake, but for my safety too. I was tired of hearing it daily. People were laughing awkwardly, but why should I be the one feeling awkward? I told him, ‘Why are you doing this? Don’t do it. You are like my father.’ After that, things settled down.”

She further encouraged women everywhere to confront their perpetrators.

“One thing I always do—I look straight into such men`s eyes. These kinds of men are afraid of eye contact. That’s my tip for women. If you feel scared, they understand and try to overpower you. But if you look straight at them—just stare back—they get scared.”

This article first appeared on Mid Day