As #MeToo continues to bring out voices and narratives of sexual harassment across the country, National Award winning filmmaker Nishtha Jain, who helmed the documentary Gulabi Gang, shares her story via a strong Facebook post against Arghya Basu, former FTII faculty, adding to Raya Sarkar’s cautionary list of 60 professors from across the globe, who have been guilty of a similar crime on social media.
In her post, Jain clearly states the events of the night she was allegedly molested by Basu in his kitchen, while his wife was present at the same party, and her anger at having spent six years waiting for him to acknowledge and apologise for his actions.
I’m sure by now you remember that it was me. Now, let’s go back to the party, the kitchen floor. Remember we were having an animated conversation while everyone else was in the main hall, sometimes coming into the kitchen to refill their plates or drinks. Do you remember when you suddenly started pawing me, grabbing me? Do you remember how I pushed you off and you still wouldn’t take off your hands from my breasts? Do you remember how I grabbed my bag from the living room and left the party? Do you remember following me out of the apartment, into the lift, all the time pawing me even as I entered the rickshaw?Nishtha Jain, Filmmaker
Next day, you sent me an SMS saying sorry. Nothing more. You didn’t feel the need to explain yourself or apologise in person. you called me once after a gap of a few years. ‘Hi Nishtha, I’m in Bombay, let’s meet up’ as if nothing had happened and everything was alright. And then again we bumped into each other at SRFTI a few years ago and you invited me to your home. I wonder if you saw that cold look in my eyes and whether you remembered what had transpired. Arghya, I’ve been waiting for an apology and explanation for the last six years. I’ve related this incident to several people. Last week, I told a friend that I put your name on the list. And she said, Good. But you have to admit he’s a good filmmaker. Yes, I said I liked his work and we loved to talk about cinema. Liked, but not like because to me today he’s just another man whose brain is on his penis.Nishtha Jain
The filmmaker also wrote about her reason for not having come out with her story earlier, admitting that she quietly shamed herself for her harassment.
Why did I not make a scene, beat him up right there and then?Why did I not inform his wife and friends all these years? Believe me, I have fantasised about doing it all these years. But I also know why I didn’t do it at that moment when everyone was present. Because deep down I felt I would be misunderstood. Why did I get that feeling? After all weren’t these people from my own community? The room was full of feminists, filmmakers and artists, lawyers and still, why didn’t I feel comfortable in confronting him there? What stopped me? Incidentally, Arghya is a short man, had he been a complete stranger I would have beaten the hell out of him and dragged him to the police station like I have done many times in the past. I didn’t do that because 1) I was in a state of shock. 2) I was conflicted 3) Perhaps, I shamed myself quietly?Nishtha Jain
Does Jain hope for punitive action to be taken against Basu? In her post she clarifies that what she’s hoping to get is a public apology to begin with.
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