With an FIR for rape lodged against actor Alok Nath, the writer-director who accused him says she is "willing to forgive" but "show some remorse, repentance", so she knows he will never violate another woman again.
She said, "I was never in this for revenge. I want correction, not revenge. Show some remorse, show some sign of repentance. Let me know that no other woman would be violated by you the way I was. All I see right now is an attitude of defiance and shamelessness. If that's the way it is going to be, then I'll see my fight for justice to the end."
About taking the battle legal, she said, "Actually the FIR was lodged on Tuesday. The media got wind of it on Wednesday morning and all hell broke loose. And I mean that in a good way. If it wasn't for the media my fight for justice would never have come so far. I am lucky to have such invaluable support from my friends, my family and from the media who have pitched in their trust behind my fight."
"I feel blessed," said the writer who worked with Alok Nath in one of the most popular TV shows in the ‘90s.
But is she ready for a long lonely legal battle ahead?
"Firstly, it's not a lonely battle. I have my mother, family and several close friends with me. As for the legal battle ahead I am very well armed and equipped. Three of the brightest young lawyers of Mumbai -- Dhruti Kapadia, Faranaaz Kharbhari and Kunal Tiwari -- are fighting my case free of cost. They believe in my fight. Today I can dare to face a legal battle without fearing the financial burden," said the writer.
She feels what the #MeToo movement has done is awaken the nation's conscience to their responsibilities as citizens.
"There is just no room or tolerance for inappropriate behaviour any more," she said, adding that her fight for justice is not her own.
"There are so many women out there who have been raped, molested, harassed, eveteased. Men who thought troubling women was their birthright have been forced to reconsider their patriarchal definitions of gender relations. What seemed 'normal' to them earlier will land them in serious trouble now. And they know it. That's the difference."
She is surprised at how Alok Nath refuses to acknowledge the wrong he has done. "He is brazening it out when he should have apologised. Instead he got his wife to speak on his behalf. That is so sad. In our society women still feel like standing by their husbands -- no matter how wrong they are -- is their dharma. Men take advantage of this unconditional spousal support," she added.
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