Filmmaker Vinta Nanda, who had accused actor Alok Nath in the #MeToo movement, slammed director Imtiaz Ali on Friday after he spoke about casting couch and women's safety in the film industry. She also questioned why was he chosen to speak on behalf of women.
Imtiaz Ali attended the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Goa, wherein he spoke about how the safety of women in the film industry has evolved over the years. He also cited an example of Kareena Kapoor Khan, who lay on the berth of a train with men around her fixing the lights on Jab We Met sets without feeling uncomfortable or awkward. During the conversation, he also stated how he casting couch or 'compromising' does not guarantee that an actress will land a role in a film.
Nanda lashed out the filmmaker for his statement and also wondered why the organisers of IFFI 2024 chose him to speak about women. "Imtiaz Ali should stop pontificating about what women face in the entertainment industry. Naturally, a Kareena Kapoor is safe because she is privileged," she wrote.
She went on to say, "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."
She also tagged Imtiaz in her post and wrote that he was not the right person to speak about women's issues. "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."
In 2018, Vinta had accused Alok Nath, who is known for playing fatherly roles in the Hindi film industry, of raping her while she was in an inebriated state. She had also stated how she kept mum for 19 years as she knew no one would believe her and would question her instead.
