Ex-AIB Comic Called Out For Sex Harassment Pleads "Context". Then A Sorry

Stand-up comic Utsav Chakraborty, who has featured in videos of comedy collective AIB, has been pummelled by sexual harassment allegations on social media, with multiple women sharing their experiences. The comedian has been accused of sending unsolicited pictures of his genitals to women -- and girls. The allegations surfaced as part of a Twitter thread about the appalling behaviour of a large group of Indian men on a cruise in Australia last month.

In his first few posts responding to the allegations, Chakraborty said "this whole thing needs patience" and "incredible amount of context". He denied some of the allegations while admitting that "getting nudes from a person was an instant rush" for him.

In his head, he claimed, it was "just plain sexting". After oscillating wildly between defiance and contrition, Chakraborty tweeted an apology.

It's a little too late now but I am sorry. I really am. The past 24 hours were a crucible. I faced a very scary personal truth. I can't think of myself as a victim anymore. Please tell me what to do now. How to make things right? I don't want anyone to be hurt anymore.

- Utsav (@Wootsaw) October 5, 2018

The floodgates opened with a woman's post on Thursday that Chakraborty had sent her a photo of his genitals.

Soon, it became a #MeToo ripple and then a tide of charges.

Some women claimed he had sent explicit and offensive direct messages on social media and asked for nude images from them too.

As the tweets circulated, AIB said it would remove every video featuring Chakraborty.

"We are also aware that by extending safe working spaces and a collaborative environment to people like Utsav, we have contributed towards a toxic environment that can be scary and unsafe for women. And so we are sorry for any part we may have played in the tolerance or furthering of such behaviour," AIB posted on Twitter, asserting that Chakraborty is no longer its member.

The Mumbai police tweeted to the first woman who had posted her experience, saying, "We have followed you. Request you to inbox your number. We will look into this on priority."

Sometime last evening, Chakraborty stopped short of an apology as he wrote: "To be honest, from all accounts, I've been a piece of shit. And I will try to do everything I can work past that. There was no excuse. I know inconsiderate and entitled. Even in this narrative, when this whole thing started, I kept looking at myself as the victim."

This morning, he was back to lashing out at his accusers, challenging them to prove their charges.

Stand-up comics Varun Grover and Aditi Mittal came out with their condemnation of Chakraborty and Sonam Kapoor Ahuja tweeted that it was "good on AIB" to issue a statement.

Comedienne Mallika Dua tweeted: "I feel sick and scared and angry and ashamed. Where the hell do men get this audacity from? Oh yes from society."

The allegations against Chakraborty have floated to the surface in the middle of a raging debate in the Hindi film industry after former actress Tanushree Dutta accused veteran actor Nana Patekar of harassing her.

It led to hopes of India's very own #MeToo movement. The globally popular movement began with The New York Times reporting a year ago on October 5 about allegations against Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, with incidents dating back to 1990.