Actress Preity Zinta has blamed her controversial remarks on #MeToo in an interview to Bollywood Hungama on the editing of the video, after being roundly slammed online. In a tweet posted today, Ms Zinta has named journalist Faridoon Shahryar, claiming that her interview was 'edited to trivialise and be insensitive.' Preity Zinta has been excoriated on Twitter after her response to being asked if she had a #MeToo story of her own. She said, "No. Though, I wish I had... at least I would have an answer for you" - after which she laughed. She also added: "People treat you the way you want to be treated." The interview was carried by Bollywood Hungama on November 16.
Today, Preity Zinta tweeted that the media outlet edited her comments to make them seem insensitive: "Really sad to see how the interview is edited to trivialise and be insensitive. Not everything is traction and as someone being interviewed I expected decency and maturity from a journalist. I did 25 interviews that day and only yours turned out edited like this #disappointed."
The Internet doesn't seem convinced. Responses to her tweet have asked Ms Zinta to prove the video was edited and to disclose what she actually said. Read Preity Zinta's tweet here:
Really sad 2see how the interview Is edited to trivialis& be insensitive. Not everything is traction & as someone being interviewed I expected decency & maturity froma journalist @iFaridoon. I did 25 interviews that day & only yours turned out edited like this #dissappointed
— Preity G Zinta (@realpreityzinta) November 19, 2018
After the video clip of Preity Zinta's #MeToo comments went viral, an infuriated Twitter called the actress out for being tone-deaf, victim blaming and making light of the movement that has engulfed not just the film industry but other sections of the media and corporate world.
Several Twitter users reposted the clip along with comments like, "Appalled by how dismissive and mocking Preity Zinta is of the #MeToo movement." Twitter users also reminded the actress of the molestation case she had filed against her ex-boyfriend Ness Wadia. The case was scrapped by the Bombay High Court last month.
So disgusted with Preity Zinta's opinion on #metoo movement.
— Lush (@TomssTimes) November 18, 2018
Did you experience a #metoo incident yourself?
— Bartan Dhoti (@chuckitboo) November 18, 2018
Preity Zinta (laughing): I wish I had....
*walks back slowly* https://t.co/XKyoNEO7ko
Appalled by how dismissive and mocking Preity Zinta is of the #MeToo movement. https://t.co/rScmU56aO9
— qudsiya (@qudsiya) November 18, 2018
"People treat you the way you want to be treated," says @realpreityzinta about survivors of sexual harassment.
— Vishal Choradiya (@VishalChoradiya) November 19, 2018
Shocking victim-blaming while discussing #MeTooIndia-watch why women like #PreityZinta are part of the problem: pic.twitter.com/V1oG9DYvBu
Journalist Faridoon Shahryar and Bollywood Hungama have not yet responded to the editing claim.
Some two months ago, the #MeToo movement exploded in India after actress Tanushree Dutta renewed a decade-old charge of harassment against Nana Patekar, who allegedly behaved inappropriately with Ms Dutta and then used political connections to threaten her on a film set in 2008. Several other prominent film and TV industry men have since been implicated in #MeToo ellegations, among them Alok Nath, Subhash Ghai, Sajid Khan, Kailash Kher, Anu Malik and Rajat Kapoor. Filmmaker Vikas Bahl has also been outed as an alleged sexual predator.
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