Bollywood actress Fatima Sana Shaikh, best known for her role in Dangal and Metro…In Dino, recently shared a chilling account of having been physically abused after resisting a man for his inappropriate behaviour.
In a chat with Hauterrfly, the actress spoke about the physical and psychological impact of the ordeal and this has widened gender-based harassment debates.
Fatima’s Violent Confrontation in Public
Fatima reveals and opens up about her violent public confrontation when she got stuck in a distressing situation. When she was being touched inappropriately by a man in public, she reacted instinctively and struck him.
The actress added, “I only hit him because he touched me, but that pissed him off, and he hit me to the point that I fell.”
The violent retaliation left her physically hurt and emotionally shaken, highlighting the unsafety of women and increasing audacity of the harassers. This incident, she shared, forced her to rethink how the victims are even supposed to react unfairly, just for the sake of their own safety.
Lasting Emotional Impact Of Harassment
The assault had a profound effect on Fatima, altering her sense of safety in public spaces. “After that incident, I got a little more cautious. I realized that we also have to check how to react in such situations,” she said, reflecting on the irony that victims must strategize their responses to wrongdoing.
The emotional wound still lingers in her memory and her testimony highlights the pervasive fear and vigilance with which women live daily in dread of harassment.
Fatima Shares Another Unsettling Encounter
Fatima also shared another such experience during the COVID-19 lockdown in Mumbai, when a tempo driver harassed her while she was cycling on her bicycle. The constant honking from the driver added to her distress, further substantiating her day-to-day sexism experience.
In spite of such problems, Fatima is still a proponent of awareness and, through her platform, makes others aware of the brutal realities of gender-based harassment. Her latest release, ‘Aap Jaisa Koi’ and ‘Metro In Dino’ has all the spotlights on her as she courageously speaks about her life.
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