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Weed out toxic people from Bollywood: Pulkit Samrat
Mumbai, Oct 7 (IANS) As Tanushree Dutta’s sexual harassment allegations against Nana Patekar have sparked a debate in the Hindi entertainment industry, actor Pulkit Samrat has requested the film fraternity to come together and remove “toxic” people from the industry.
The “Fukrey” actor on Sunday took to social media to share a lengthy letter expressing his stance on the whole row.
“As a part of the Bollywood industry that stands by values such as equality, freedom, and non-discrimination, I feel I need to stand up and address the hypocrisy. The case in point: Tanushree Dutta accusing Nana Patekar of harassment on the sets of a film. As soon as the story broke out, I heard the usual talk going around: Why didn’t she say all of this sooner? Why did she wait for almost a decade since the incident? Nana Patekar? But he is such a nice guy. He has done so much for farmers,” he wrote in the letter.
Pulkit then blamed the society for “encouraging silence”.
“As a society, we somehow encourage the culture of silence. We are scared to rub powerful people the wrong way for fear of repercussions it might have on our career or social standing. Apathy of authorities does not help matters.”
The 34-year-old actor feels people from the industry “should be the first to actively try and change this culture”.
“If we know that the person regularly indulges in inappropriate behaviour and we have seen it happening in front of us, instead of looking the other way, we should proactively report them to the authorities.
“Oust them from the industry. Take action against them. Yes, it will require years of unlearning what our parents taught us: If you see trouble, look the other way. You don’t want to get involved.”
Pulkit added: “As an industry, we need to come together and weed out toxic people who cannot respect their co-workers. They are not irreplaceable. There is enough talent out there. It is also important to understand that it is not easy for victims to accept that they were physically violated.
“Accepting it makes one feel weak, and nobody wants to feel weak. Movements such as #MeToo and #TimesUp are ample proof that perpetrators get away because it is hard for victims to speak up. Power dynamics and lack of support from colleagues and acquaintances does not help matters.”
He urged everyone to take a stand for what is right.
“I want to urge the entire industry to take a stand for what’s right. I don’t know what happened 10 years back and I don’t have any first-person accounts. However, if you know something, come forward and do what’s right. Don’t limit it to this case alone.”
The #MeToo movement has gained momentum in Bollywood with Tanushree coming in front of the media last month and making an allegation against Nana of harassing her on the sets of their 2008 film “Horn Ok Pleassss”.
–IANS
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Dr. Abhishek Verma Dedicates a Shelter in Memory of His Mother, Veena Verma, at KGMU; Inaugurated by Daughter Nicolle Verma
World-renowned business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has supported Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission. In memory of his mother, Late Veena Verma, who was a 3 term Rajya Sabha MP.
Dr. Verma dedicated a state-of-the-art free permanent shelter for the attendants of patients at KGMU Medical University, Lucknow, under the aegis of Vijay Shree Foundation. His daughter, Nicolle Verma, inaugurated the shelter.
During the event, Foodman Vishal Singh honored Nicolle Verma by presenting her with a memento. Mrs. Nidhi Sharma and Avantika Yadav, associated with the organization, welcomed her with garlands. Following this, Nicolle Verma distributed essential items to the attendants and also handed out fruits. She became emotional remembering her grandmother on her birth anniversary.
On this occasion, she also inaugurated the “Veena Verma Sevalaya” in memory of her grandmother, Veena Verma, to serve the attendants. She expressed, “I feel proud that my family is engaged in nation-building as well as social service. Today, in collaboration with Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh Ji, I feel immensely proud to dedicate this shelter for the poor, helpless, and needy attendants of patients battling serious illnesses like cancer. I am honored to be associated with the Hunger-Free World Mission for humanity.”
Inspired by the continuous humanitarian service provided by Vijay Shree Foundation over the past 17 years, Nicolle Verma donated 10 lakh rupees to support the cause. The purpose of this donation is to ensure that services continue for the needy attendants of patients suffering from severe illnesses in hospitals, as facilitated by Foodman Vishal Singh.
It is noteworthy that Dr. Abhishek Verma’s family has a legacy of public and philanthropic service. They are helping millions to carry forward the values and service work of their parents. On the occasion of his mother’s birth anniversary, Dr. Abhishek Verma dedicated this state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College to serve the attendants of patients through the Vijay Shree Foundation.
Supporting Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission, Dr. Abhishek Verma assured that he would continually support keeping this flame of humanity alive. He also promised to assist in providing medicines to the helpless patients.
Continuing her grandmother’s legacy of service, Nicolle Verma personally served food to the needy patients and attendants. She said, “It is our good fortune to have received the joy of doing this noble work today through Foodman Vishal Singh. I have taken another step forward in carrying my family’s values and cooperation by joining hands with the Vijay Shree Foundation. My father taught me to serve and help the needy, and I feel happy when I bring a smile to someone’s face.”
On the birth anniversary of the late Veena Verma, the event organizer, Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh, said, “We feel proud and happy that Dr. Abhishek Verma, a globally renowned business tycoon, has extended his support to uplift our country from the hunger index. Today, on his mother’s birth anniversary, he inaugurated a state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College, which will always be helpful for the needy attendants of patients. It is a pleasure for me and the organization to receive the affection of Mr. Verma.”
The event was attended by General Manager Verma Family Office Hemant Garg, Sonu Rajput, and the organization’s volunteers, including Sandeep Singh, Parmeshwar Ji, Prashant Rao Gautam, Balram Singh, Ramesh Chaudhary, Suman, Jeetu, Anil, Suraj, Vinay, Manish Bhadauria, Manas Mehrotra, Vivek, Apurv, Happy, and others.
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