Feminism Is When Gender Doesn't Dictate Choices: Swara Bhaskar

Few celebrities from Bollywood have spoken about the F word (Feminism) in public and fewer have got its essence right. Swara Bhaskar is one of those actors who not only spread awareness on the women’s movement, but fight for equality and social justice too.

In a chat with SheThePeople.TV, the Nil Battey Sannata actor opened up about what feminism means to her.

Here’s what she said:

“I think feminism is a very positive and impressive movement. It has for several years fought for women’s rights, equal representation of women in public context.”

“Feminism for me is something that ideologically strives to create a society where gender will not dictate your choices in life. In that sense, we should all be feminists and my responses to people who say I am not a feminist is why?”

ALSO READ: Do our “Bollywood Stars” Need a Crash Course in Feminism?

On Bollywood speaking up against sexual harassment, she said, “It is not easier to take on very powerful men in corporate, government or even in journalism. Bollywood is part of our larger society. So when we see the change happening in our society where women start speaking up in different fields, you’ll see it in Bollywood as well. I don’t think women’s rights are given on a platter to anyone. We will have to fight for it.”

"I don't think women's rights are given to anyone on a platter to anyone. We will have to fight for it."

Bollywood is actually quite a close-knit industry. People can lose out on projects for speaking up on social issues because of the filmdom's influence on society. Yet, Bhasker has never kept quiet on burning. She has also put across her stand on matters such as the highly-controversial film 'Padmavati', case of Hadiya, Gauri Lankesh etc. The JNU graduate also promotes free speech and student politics in colleges. She believes that universities are the only place where one can have access to these things.

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