Key Points
In an ecosystem of pervasive hostilitysexual and otherwisehope is that ever-elusive mirage permanently parked in the future..
Even when there is occasion to celebrate, like the mere existence of a landmark report probing the condition of women in the Malayalam film industry, our cautious elation is tempered by the ghosts of past disappointments and the spectre of future battles...
But beyond that, it feels like Indian women are routinely made to believe that they are in the midst of a reckoning and are brought to the precipice of change, only to have their hopes dashed..
Tanushree Datta, who repeatedly alleged that Nana Patekar had sexually harassed her during the shoot of the 2008 film Horn Ok Pleassss and even filed a formal complaint against him, has found no work in Bollywood..
One of the biggest criticisms of the #MeToo movement was that these were often not formal complaints, and that public allegations could potentially ruin the lives and careers of accused menthough I am still waiting to see any powerful man who has lost professional opportunities because of these allegations..
