File photo of Anurag Kashyap
Film director Anurag Kashyap says that his comments on rape, which have triggered a debate on social media, have been quoted without context. By way of clarification, he writes, "My whole conversation has been reduced to one line that's being knocked around, 'rape is a bad accident says anurag kashyap'". His comments are posted on moifightclub which describes itself as a blog dedicated to cinema.
(Read entire blog here)An article in The Hindu on July 5 says, Mr Kashyap, 41, whose films include Gangs of Wasseypur and Gulaal, met a woman abroad who told him that "rape is like a bad accident. And people who caused it should be punished because they were power drunk... in a state of intoxication. It should be seen as just that. A very bad accident. But you move on. What we have done is victimised the victim for years. Like her whole sense of honour and self-respect comes from her vagina. What is this notion of ijjat loot gayi? (losing honour)".
The director reiterated in his new blog that these were not his opinions, but that of the woman he spoke to. He says his perspective is this: "No woman invites rape, rape is never ever the woman's fault, and no woman would chose it - if the choice was a viable one. But in a situation where the choice is between life and rape, a woman might just choose the latter. ...Why is she called stuff like 'zindaa laash' and why does the entire focus shift to 'honour' rather than to 'healing'? To 'punishment' rather than to 'rehabilitation'? When does the male gaze take over, such that even the extent of the victim's physical and mental bruising is decided for her by others?"
(Read entire blog here)At the risk of being lynched, "I don't disagree with Anurag Kashyap's stance," tweeted Gayatri Jayaraman.
"As Anurag Kashyap mansplains rape to us, he's silent on y he called d Tehelka complainant a liar after illegally watching evidence footage," tweeted activist Kavitha Krishnan.