Songwriters, long given short shrift in Bollywood, are now up in arms for recognition and royalties
Rishabh Suri (HINDUSTAN TIMES; July 26, 2020)

After nepotism and favouritism, another debate seems to be in the making in Bollywood. Recently, songwriter-singer Swanand Kirkire tweeted, “OTT pe lyricists ka naam na hona sirf credit ka na hona nahin hain balki Lyrics Writer ke Wajood ko na maanana hai”.

Last year, the Indian Performing Rights Society (IPRS) filed an FIR against a production house seeking around ₹100 crore in royalties due to composers and writers since 2012. Danish Javed, of the Screen Writer’s Association, says, “If lyricists get their name on a publishing platform, as a member of the IPRS, they get part of the royalty,” he says. We got in touch with some prominent lyricists on this.


SWANAND KIRKIRE (3 Idiots, Barfi!, Lage Raho Munnabhai)
Music companies and big labels put songs on YouTube, and don’t give proper credits. They don’t get back when we point out. Some platform did get back recently saying ‘thanks for bringing to our notice’. They didn’t even say it was a mistake. Apps don’t credit the lyricists anywhere in their algorithm. You can’t search a song by a lyricist’s name. You can search the music director’s name. I can search for songs I’ve sung as I am a singer too. I get a detailed history what’s happening with my song, how many are streaming it, which state or country they belong to, but lyricists have no way to find that out.


SHELLEE (Shahid, Manmarziyaan, Jawaani Jaaneman)
I wrote a song in 2014, Beparwah, for Shahid. Why is my name missing on YouTube? People comment ‘soulful lyrics’ but my name is missing! There’s a rule: if the name is missing, the royalties from the song won’t come to you, be it YouTube or music apps. Music apps have a different algorithm. If we are given credits, we’ll start getting royalty. But what about the royalties of the past? We don’t do gigs or concerts like singers. We get paid peanuts once, and nothing after that. Even if the spelling of your name is wrong, you won’t get royalty. IPRS controls the domestic royalties, we need more transparency in it too.


VARUN GROVER (Gangs of Wasseypur, Fan, Udta Punjab)
I have been talking about it for years now. Many official channels on YouTube, and music company channels of Eros, Sa Re Ga Ma, Shemaroo, Ultra, don’t credit lyricists or give wrong credit. We have a list of these song credits. Gulzar, Javed Akhtar, Shailendra, these legends have credits missing on YouTube channels. Apps pick data from music companies who provide them their libraries. In their library itself, they don’t have the lyricist’s name! Some apps work on the American mode, where they think composer is the songwriter. They don’t even have space for lyric credits in their software. You can’t search if you want to.

SAMEER ANJAAN (Aashiqui, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Dhoom 3)
The Screen Writer’s Association is taking a big step because I think people do this knowingly. They have a huge nexus and intention behind not keeping the writer or composer’s name, because then royalties will not go to the right place. But now we are trying our level best to make them (apps) aware. Then we will take legal action.

Also, about last year’s hit Dilbar Dilbar (Satyameva Jayate), a leading publication said, ‘Music by Tanishk Bagchi, lyrics by Shabbir Ahmed’, when the original song was by Nadeem-Shravan, and lyrics by me. Shabbir wrote one line in the beginning, rest of the song was original.

How a man, busted for fabricating entries on IMDb, exposes the entertainment industry’s struggle to find a safe home for credits
Jairaj Singh and Arnab Ganguly (MUMBAI MIRROR; July 12, 2020_

Till a few weeks ago, he was a legend the film industry had failed to acknowledge. On IMDb — the largest and most popular TV and movie database on the internet — his feats were going spectacularly unparalleled, and there for all to see. Even Satyajit Ray — whom Akira Kurosawa hailed as a ‘giant’ — paled in comparison to his filmmaking prowess, if you compared the credits listed on their respective profile pages. The 18-year-old student from Navi Mumbai, who was running the page with his own name, claimed not only to be an actor and director, but also to have experience in animation, costume design, editing, stunts, visual effects and scriptwriting, among other things.

On June 23, screenwriter and poet Varun Grover exposed the IMDb account. He took to social media when he saw an ‘Abhishek Chaudhary’ listed as one of the writers of Sacred Games, the show Grover had developed from Vikram Chandra’s 2006 novel by the same name. Upon inspecting the profile page on the website, he found that this person also claimed to have played the role of a newborn in Good Newwz (2019) and a father in Badhaai Ho (2018), besides other stuff. “The guy is a bit of a credit-vandal. A normal talent would have credits in 4 or 5 different fields (writer, director etc). A genius like Mr Ray has credits under 14 categories. Our maestro ‘Abhishek’ has 30+ varied talents,” Grover wrote in a Twitter thread. He also questioned IMDb’s “strict monitoring and verification process”, which had allowed something like this to pass.

IMDb was quick to follow up as the posts went viral, and instantly wiped out almost all the fake credits on Chaudhary’s page, without acknowledging the oversight. It left behind the entries of two films, one genuine and one fake: Brazen Epiphany, which credits Chaudhary as an actor, and Chosen Few, a TVF short, which credits him as playing the role of a policeman. Within a week of the issue coming to light, a man claiming to be Abhishek Chaudhary messaged Grover on Instagram and confessed that he was behind the IMDb profile — and proved it by making fresh edits on the page. Chaudhary told Grover that IMDb had barred him from creating more fake entries, and then tried to justify himself.

“My initial impression, on discovering the fake credits on IMDb, was that he was misusing the mutual trust platform,” Grover tells Mirror. “But after interacting with him, I figured he has some kind of reasoning behind it. He thinks of himself as some sort of a vigilante, exposing loopholes in a system. Also, the joy of cheap thrills is difficult to resist. So I believe it’s a mix of everything.”

The (con) artist
On his LinkedIn page, Chaudhary introduces himself as a “pseudo-introvert, a web developer and a maker”. He also says he’s the “Chief Executive Officer of The Abbie”, which does not appear to be an organisation, and has only one follower on its page.

A second year student of computer engineering at an institute in Vashi, Chaudhary is not a self-avowed film buff but is “open to making films” once he gets his engineering degree. Last year, he and his friends took part in a contest organised by the India Film Project, where each team was given a theme and 50 hours to make a film. They made Brazen Epiphany, a 5.26-minute audio film about a journalist who is interviewed after winning an award. The film was uploaded on YouTube on April 11, and has had 45 views. “I knew my film was not going to win, but I wanted to promote it. My first step was to create an IMDb page,” Chaudhary tells Mirror. “I had to fill up a long form, which took two days to get approved. This left me wondering whether IMDb was actually verifying all the information that it was being fed.”

At first, Chaudhary claims, he would spend quality time on the crowd-sourced website by contributing genuine entries, like adding missing plot details and fixing the release date of a film. It was only once he discovered the existence of a loophole, and realised how easy it was to fabricate credits, that he started misusing the website. “I was jealous of not being famous,” says Chaudhary, who created his first fake entry in March by calling himself a comic who was a part of Comicstaan, the stand-up comedy reality show. “I was just eager for fame. At the time, Sacred Games was trending. I thought that if I add my name to it as a writer, people might recognise me.”

While Chaudhary found it easy to create such fake entries, Pooja Tolani (left) — a writer who has actually worked on two episodes in the second season of Sacred Games with Grover — had to struggle to make even a legit entry. She was asked by IMDb to send a screenshot of her name in the end credits, and it took her, in all, almost three months to get the credit.

“At first, I did not pay much attention to adding my name to the show’s credit list. My colleagues had added their names and it had been a very simple process for them,” says Tolani. “I tried in December once, but couldn’t do it. Later, I learnt it had been declined because the information could not be verified. In February, I tried several times, and every time it said it could not be verified. I was then asked to submit evidence. I wrote on the IMDb website that I was one of the co-writers, and mentioned the two episodes that I had worked on, and also provided the links. It was still declined.”

IMDb, on its site, maintains that for users to get credit they “need to have at least one pre-existing credited entry in the database”. It says that it relies on end credits because “these days, end credits are much more comprehensive and most people who contribute eligible work, receive a credit”. Even though it operates as a crowd-sourced website like Wikipedia, on its own Wiki page, IMDb makes a distinction about how it is different by stating that “contributors cannot add, delete, or modify the data or text on impulse, and the manipulation of data is controlled by IMDb technology and salaried staff”.

When Mirror reached out to IMDb to ask how Chaudhary managed to fabricate credits while Tolani had to struggle to get her due, a spokesperson responded by sharing the information that’s already on the website. “The information in IMDb comes from various sources. While we actively gather information from and verify items with studios and filmmakers, the bulk of our information is submitted by people in the industry and visitors to our site,” reads the statement. “Our sources of information include, but are not limited to, on-screen credits, press kits, official bios, autobiographies, and interviews. Given the sheer volume and the nature of the information we list, occasional mistakes are inevitable and, when spotted/reported, they are promptly verified and fixed.” The website evaded all questions pertaining to the specifics of the case.

A flawed system
On July 8, filmmaker Apurva Asrani tweeted how his name, as co-writer of the legal drama Shahid (2013), “miraculously popped back” on IMDb after he wrote a blog, despite three years of chasing the website to include it. “Credits on IMDb should exactly reflect those that appeared on the film, but that’s not always the case,” says Asrani. “In the case of Shahid, Hansal Mehta and I are mentioned as additional screenplay writers in the film’s opening credits. We both even shared a screenwriting award with the film’s main writer, but for the last three years, my name and a mention of the award has been missing from IMDb. After I blogged about it, someone was able to edit the page and attach proof of my name in the opening credits. Now it is there, but I don’t know for how long.”

For most people in the entertainment industry — especially those still trying to establish themselves — IMDb is the go-to site. Filmmaker Bejoy Nambiar says that in recent years, an IMDb profile has become a “calling card”, an online resume, for people to verify and crosscheck credentials. It also helps actors, writers and tech crew to negotiate better deals. The loopholes in the system have, however, given rise to fraudsters, both online and offline. Last year Gaurav P Singh, an assistant director, had to conduct a sting operation to nab a man, his namesake, who was using his IMDb profile to get work. “I had to make him apologize to me on camera and write to all the production houses he had been doing the rounds of, seeking work by posing as me,” he says. “The funny thing is that he knew everything about me and my work and, during the first quarter of the meeting, tried very hard to convince me that he was me.”

Such incidents expose a major faultline in an industry which refuses to be transparent about giving credit to people. Other than the end credits of a film or a TV show, there is no way for people — involved in the larger creative process — to be formally acknowledged for their contribution. If production houses do create an official webpage, including all the credits, it is usually a transient exercise. IMDb is, arguably, the only database that one can refer to for information long after a project is done. So correct and honest representation is crucial.

Grover, like many people in the industry, feels the onus should also lie with production houses to ensure proper credits go on IMDb, but adds, “we are talking about an industry with no structure, no strict labour laws, no unity, and, in most of the cases, [sees] rampant exploitation”. As long as that continues, fraudsters and vandals will also continue to thrive.


The fake credits on the page (before IMDb removed them)

As Sacred Games battles it out at International Emmy Awards this weekend, screenwriter pens its journey from book to screen to global acclaim
Varun Grover (MID-DAY; November 23, 2019)

The Beginning
Every time I sit down to write something, my first feeling is that it won't happen. It will never be complete and nobody will get to see it. The 1000-page novel by Vikram Chandra, Sacred Games, was even scarier. And there were two of us sharing that feeling — me and Smita Singh (my co-writer in Season 1). Our second co-writer, Vasant Nath, was more hopeful and pushed us to get down to work.

Our process began by discussing the broad themes and character arcs, which took six to eight weeks. Then, for the next few weeks, we started chipping away at the individual arcs for every character and the clouds started to part, but only a bit.

At this point, showrunner Vikramaditya Motwane (below) joined us and started giving our wild horses some fodder and some reins. We spent another few weeks refining those arcs and divided the eight episodes among the three of us.


The Netflix Process
Their process is distinctive. It operates within a well-set framework, and is different from filmmaking. Netflix first asks for a "Bible" from the writers, which is a set document that includes the individual character arcs in the context of the larger story as well as episode summaries. When you are writing, you can get carried away. In this context, the Bible becomes useful, by providing a general roadmap.

The Research
A lot of research came from Smita Nair — our research head for both seasons. She had been on the city/crime beat for Indian Express for almost 15 years in Mumbai, and she knows the city like nobody else I know. Her keen eye, rigour, and obsession with details (including the kind of clothes an intelligence officer may or may not wear) made our job a little tougher, but also a lot easier.

Our ground research involved meeting cops, lawyers, police historians (Deepak Rao especially), scientists, intelligence officers, and journalists over a period of two months to get a sense of Mumbai and the world between 1992 and 2018 — our focus years for Gaitonde in Season 2. We got some fascinating stories about India's covert operations in international seas. She gave us some beautiful nuggets including why all Mumbai cop stations have an aquarium, and why the big police operation in Season 2 was called Operation Maqdoom. (Hint: It was named after Maqdoom Ali Mahimi of the Mahim Dargah fame.)

Season 2
In Season 2, there were four of us in the writers' room: Pooja Tolani, Nihit Bhave, Dhruv Narang, and I. Since we didn't have as much time as Season 1 to finish the scripts, we had to hit the ground running. Since Season 1 had blown up way beyond our expectations, the pressure on the entire team was a bit unreal. But for better or worse, we were already done with most of the writing by the time Season 1 dropped (July 2018).

Since the book is darker and more complex in the second half (the all-powerful Gaitonde has to reach a point where he kills himself), our aim for Season 2 was to make things more dense, and the characters more disillusioned. Seeing the kind of world we are living in right now, we arrived at the central theme of 'Is the world even worth saving?' We were lucky to have new character additions played by brilliant actors like Amruta Subhash (K D Yadav), Pankaj Tripathi (Guruji), and Kalki Koechlin (Batya).

The Reception
While Season 1 got a unanimously positive response, the verdict for Season 2 was split. Many critics seemed to love it, but some audiences were vocally disappointed. Both Motwane and I were expecting this split opinion because of a drastic shift in tone from Season 1 as well as our choice to go with an open-ending (no, that's not a cliff-hanger!) as opposed to a clean, happy one. The risk may have backfired a bit, but given the chance, I would do it exactly the same way again.

The Learnings
That is not to say there are no learnings. The biggest one, at the end of two seasons, is that people prioritise character depth over plot twists. A lot of plot twists we were worried about (in both the seasons) didn't get any criticism but characters behaving inconsistently or boringly becomes a huge let-down for viewers.

And there's one more learning on a philosophical level. Writers collaborating is not always a smooth process because writing primarily is a solitary journey, writers have egos, and the writers' room is a product of capitalism more than natural selection. And still, when it works (like it did for the six of us), it's a beautiful experience that makes the world of a writer a little less lonely.

Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; September 23, 2019)

Not too long ago, Pankaj Tripathi had told mid-day about his plan to set up a writers' retreat in his village, Gopalgunj. Even as he is giving shape to the creative hub, the actor is doing his bit to mentor writers. Turns out, Tripathi hosts an informal meet-up at his Madh Island address once every week where writers, both aspiring and successful, come together to share ideas and brainstorm over scripts.

A source says, "Even when people are not offering him parts, they sit with Pankaj to narrate their story ideas. Writers — including Varun Grover, Puneet Sharma, Nilotpal Mrinal and Gaurav Solanki — often brainstorm with him. Pankaj is enamoured by literature, and enjoys being introduced to worlds and stories he isn't familiar with."

Confirming the news, Tripathi says, "The process helps me to grow as an artiste because at the end of the day, an actor is a part of the larger process of communicating the same vision. The spirit of any film lies in the script, which is owned firstly by a writer. Actors are merely tools putting out that story in the world. It's a collaborative process of evolving together."

The comic said the art form can be used to criticize without creating bad blood
Urmi Chanda-Vaz (MUMBAI MIRROR; September 8, 2019)

For anyone who is even vaguely aware of India’s stand-up comedy scene, the name Varun Grover would ring furious bells. His incisive satire, his National Award winning lyrics, or screenwriting, have all planted Grover’s credentials firmly in place.

Last evening, however, the packed house at a ‘Mumbai Local’ event, organised by Junoon Theatre, in Bandra gathered to listen to why he does what he does.

The title of Grover’s talk, ‘Laugh because your Heart if Free’, is a clear take on the famous lines from Faiz Ahmad Faiz’s poem, ‘Bol’. The phrase ‘bol ki lab azaad hain tere’ literally translates to ‘Speak, for your speech is free’. Grover’s spin on it, where speaking is replaced with laughing and speech is replaced with the faculty of feeling, is reflective of his philosophy of work. His anti-government stance is known to all, but his choice of weapon has been laughter instead of critical rhetoric. In Grover’s view, it is the only way left, for freedom of speech no longer truly exists.

The tradition of dissent through comedy is centuries old, with some of the earliest examples being found in ancient Greece. Democritus was known as ‘the laughing philosopher’ because of his penchant for posing tough questions to the authorities but with jolly ease. Grover also reminded his audiences of similar traditions in India where court jesters such as Sheikh Chilli, Birbal or Tenali Raman were common fixtures.

In Uttar Pradesh, where Grover spent his childhood, kavi sammelans were important cultural events, landmarks of public consciousness even. A young Grover was struck by the way in which this medium could be used to express dissent, to criticise without creating bad blood. “One big power of comedy,” he said, “is that it can be rejected.” Those criticized, those in power may choose to let it pass as bad art instead of looking at it as a direct attack. “The good thing about this ‘comical’ tradition of dissent is that it acts as a shield for the dissenter.”

Grover recognises that it is not just his chosen art form, but his privilege as an upper caste Hindu man that shields him. “People call me brave for saying the things I do. But the truth is, I am not required to be brave,” he said. “If I was Muslim or Dalit, and still saying these things, then that would be brave.”

Grover finds solace and courage in the fact that “a bullet is not fitted with a time machine. It cannot erase what has been said. If anything, it makes words even more permanent.”

In one moment of nervous or uncomfortable laughter, that seed of doubt is planted and we are made to confront and challenge many of our ideas. This form of dissent also keeps the doors of dialogue open, believes Grover.

Comedy is empowering in ways few things are. “If most of the media, which is now devoted to the establishment, is not going to document the government’s failures, blindspots and even oppressions, who will?” he asks.

Dhaval Roy (DNA; August 25, 2019)

Life seems to have come full circle for Kalki Koechlin with her latest web series. The actress debuted with Anurag Kashyap’s Dev.D in 2009 and a decade later, she has a major role in the show, which the filmmaker has co-directed with Neeraj Ghaywan. “The years have gone by so fast! But I still have lots to do,” she enthuses. At the moment, the actress is in news for her turn of Batya Abelman, a Palestinian-Jewish follower of Guruji essayed by Pankaj Tripathi, in the sophomore season of the Saif Ali Khan and Nawazuddin Siddiqui starrer. She is filming for her upcoming web series, Bhram, in Himachal Pradesh, and hasn’t watched the series seamlessly or followed the feedback to her portrayal. “I’ve been a little out of it because of the network situation here. I watched the episodes while the scenes were still loading. It was frustrating but worth it,” she laughs. A chat with Kalki...

What made you take up the web series?
I’d seen the first part when I was called for an audition. It’s a well-made show that has a rawness and realness. Even the smaller characters stood out even if they weren’t the leads. I found that really cool. The second season is different from the first. It’s a progression that goes into a more intellectual and deeper space, which I liked.

Batya does not figure in Vikram Chandra’s book. How did you prep for it?
Thank God, it’s not in the book otherwise I would have had to read 1,000 pages (laughs)! Varun (Grover) is a fantastic writer and he was hands-on, explaining things to me all the time. He gave me a backstory just so that I could prepare. But I also stalked Pankaj ji. I would follow him – listen to his lectures, watch all his shots.

What was it like working with Saif Ali Khan after Happy Ending (2014)?
It was really fun. We had a great time trying to figure out this creepy yet slightly vulnerable relationship that we have, sharing our insecurities with each other. Neeraj was lovely in terms of directing us.

You’re doing a lot of web series — Shockers, Smoke, Made in Heaven in the past and now Bhram...
It’s just that mediums are changing. I’m trying to keep up with it (laughs). I don’t really plan it like that. I still get 10 film scripts and out of those, nine are bad! It’s just that content is coming from different directions.

Why do you end up rejecting the offers?
Actors get put into a box after a role. There are certain limitations because I look like a foreigner. I won’t be able to take up some kinds of roles.

Do you regret that?
No, it’s my job to consciously find projects that challenge me and make me do something I haven’t done before. Everyone needs to push the boundaries. And I get to act in a project like Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani (2013) and then I’m also offered Margarita With A Straw (2015), which is completely different. I try to keep that variety in mind.

What about security as an actor?
I’m lucky that there’s enough coming from other fronts. I do theatre, I have my podcast Kalki Presents: My Indian Life and endorsements. There are times when you choose something purely for the platform. I’d always say yes to Farhan and Zoya Akhtar’s production because they’re organised and they usually have a guaranteed good release. There are some practical choices you make but I wouldn’t say that’s my main priority; it’s always interesting work.

In retrospect, how have the 10 years in the industry been?
They have been eclectic. I feel lucky to have worked with such different kinds of directors — really mainstream ones like Ayan Mukerji (Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani) and Zoya (Gully Boy) and then you have Anurag and Dibakar Banerjee (Shanghai, 2012) apart from completely new directors Konkona Sen Sharma (A Death in the Gunj, 2017) or Rakhee Sandilya (Ribbon, 2017).

Are there films you wish you hadn’t done?
Yeah, but I don’t like to mention them like that. Though, after each movie, I feel I could have done it better and there’s always room for improvement. Then again, that’s the point. If you think you’ve done a role perfectly, you’d retire.

And a movie you are proud of?
Margarita With A Straw. It was not an easy film to shoot but when I look back, it taught me so much. It has made me sensitive to the plight of disability. It made me alert to the amount of rehearsal you can do. I practised for six months and the character became a part of me. So much so that after the film, when I’d go out for a drink, I’d find myself grabbing a straw.

Gully Boy was a smash hit this year. Has it led to more projects in mainstream cinema?
No, nothing that I have signed on yet. I loved that film. Zoya makes really interesting movies and the script was so strong.

What else do you have in the pipeline?
I’m mainly focussing on my podcast — doing research for season two for the next two months. Then, there’s a play coming up end of this year, which is the modernised version of Uncle Vanya by Anton Chekhov.

Netflix global creative boss, Ted Sarandos, reacts to green- lighting Sacred Games season two, despite co-directors Anurag Kashyap, Vikramaditya Motwane being in the eye of #MeToo storm
Mayank Shekhar (MID-DAY; October 25, 2018)

While the early reviews are already out, Netflix's eighth season of top-series House Of Cards drops November 2, albeit without the lead actor, Kevin Spacey, who was sacked following serious allegations of sexual misconduct.

Be that as it may, after weeks of speculation, the streaming giant announced the second season of Sacred Games on Tuesday. This, despite the show's co-directors Anurag Kashyap and Vikramaditya Motwane, from the now-dissolved production firm Phantom Films, having also been hit by the #MeToo storm — for their alleged complacency while dealing with a sexual assault case against then-partner, filmmaker Vikas Bahl, which was brought to their notice by the survivor, a female colleague.

Asked to respond to this move, Netflix chief content officer, Ted Sarandos, currently in Mumbai, told mid-day, "It [the decision] has absolutely nothing to do with House Of Cards, or anything else. There are individual cases, with separate circumstances, and different people [involved]. They're all very tough calls. And we take them all very seriously. In the case of Sacred Games, there was an investigation. And we were comfortable with the outcome of going forward with Anurag and Vikram."

Reiterating a zero-tolerance policy on sexual harassment matters at Netflix, Sarandos said, "Our fundamental belief is that people should always feel safe and respected at work. The only thing we can control is those working in our offices, and on our sets." He added, "There is the same sexual-harassment training that happens in our productions anywhere in the world; has always been. The most difficult thing is the 'not knowing part'. And then you find out, and during the process of it [an allegation] coming out, you want to immediately address it."

The second season of India's first Netflix original series, Sacred Games, had first been announced in September, but came under the scanner, also because of an anonymous online sexual harassment charge levelled against Varun Grover, one of the writers of the show. Post a probe, Grover continues to remain associated with the critically acclaimed crime-thriller, based on Vikram Chandra's novel of the same name.

MID-DAY (October 24, 2018)

After conducting an independent probe amid the # MeToo furore, Netflix announced yesterday that it will retain its association with filmmakers Anurag Kashyap and Vikramaditya Motwane for the second season of Sacred Games.

“After an independent investigation, the results helped in forming Netflix’s decision to continue with Vikramaditya Motwane and Anurag Kashyap on season 2 of Sacred Games. We continue to collaborate with our production partners to ensure and maintain a safe and respectful working environment,” read a statement from the streaming giant.

Kashyap and Motwane, who co-directed the show, have been in the news due to their alleged complacency in dealing with sexual assault accusations against their former Phantom Films partner Vikas Bahl by an employee.

Netflix also stated that it will continue to work with writer Varun Grover for the next season. Grover’s name emerged in the #MeToo wave when a woman anonymously alleged that he touched her inappropriately in the Banaras Hindu University in 2001. He denied it by calling it a “baseless fabrication”. The writer has, in the past, worked closely with Phantom Films, which got dissolved last month after allegations resurfaced against Bahl in the wake of the #MeToo movement.

Singer Sona Mohapatra had recently called out music composer Anu Malik as a sexual predator. In a detailed interview with BT, she talks about her ordeal and also highlights why it was important for her to speak up. Excerpts...
Lasyapriya Sundaram (BOMBAY TIMES; October 22, 2018)

Over the past few days, the #MeToo campaign has gained momentum in India. You were the first to call out music director Anu Malik of sexual harassment...
I chose to be the first to ‘bell the cat’ so that the many others, who he has done much worse to, get the courage to speak up. At the time that I shared my experiences with him, I did so knowing very well that many people and quarters will trivialise it, and they did. I was trolled and people said being called ‘maal’, being called at unearthly hours and being subjected to one-sided and unwanted conversations are not instances of sexual harassment. It is a terrible reflection of the world we live in when others, specifically men, decide as to what constitutes harassment in the first place. That they also legislate on our behalf is another matter. Anu Malik, in fact, denied meeting me ever. But I exposed that lie by presenting the timeline of our meetings and facts, subsequently. The point is, I shared my experiences, because it was my story to share and it is not in my place to share other gory stories that are an open secret in the industry. That would be conjecture, speculation and gossip. When people think that I have a right to speak up only when I’m raped or something equally serious happens to me, I will say, ‘You are the reason why serial predators get away’. That he didn’t do worse with me doesn’t indicate anything. I say this to the naysayers, ‘You are the ones who normalise this abhorrent behaviour and system’. Anu Malik’s behaviour with me was sexual harassment. There are no doubts about it. I blocked his number and chose not to work with the likes of him. I was lucky to find fewer, but good allies in the industry. But that doesn’t mean everyone can and that is not their fault. My speaking up about my experience with him gave the courage to another woman, singer Shweta Pandit, who was harassed as a minor by him, to speak up. Many more are writing in with their own personal horror stories to both of us. Most are scared to come out in the open for fear of being shamed or losing work, but I’m more than willing to do it if this empowers others and helps cleanse a system. As I read somewhere, #MeToo is only the beginning of an equal rights movement that is aiming to press a giant reset of the norms across a spectrum of systemic inequal, dehumanising and violent behaviour that women have been subjected to for times immemorial. This is across all workplaces, and not only in the entertainment industry. This needs to change. This change will not only benefit us women, but the whole country. Currently, India is second to only Saudi Arabia in terms of percentage of women in the organised urban workforce and these numbers have been shrinking over the last decade. This isn’t good for India. Women are 50 % of the population and our participation in all walks of life plays a big role in the country’s progress.

When he denied meeting you, you alleged that he had harassed singer Suman Sridhar as well. However, she says no such thing ever happened...
The movement is called #MeToo for a reason. If and when someone feels comfortable enough to share their story, it’s the right time to talk about it. If she wants to deny it, she might have reasons for that, too. Basically, it’s her prerogative. My partner at OmGrown Music (composer and husband Ram Sampath) and I both have a clear memory of this case and we stand by our story. Again, it did happen to us, it isn’t hearsay. Suman not only called us several times about this to ask for advice, but also met us to discuss it. This was after the release, Luv Ka The End (2011). At one point, Suman mentioned being paranoid about picking up the phone because he was calling her from unknown numbers. She was an upcoming singer in the industry and didn’t want to miss any other singing opportunity by missing a call, but she was being harassed by him. We did the best we could to help her, but lost touch with her eventually. She also had some issue with the song (Muskanein Jhoothi Hain by Ram) that she sang for the film Talaash (2012), after it was released by Excel Entertainment some years later. I was the EP on the film’s soundtrack. She was demanding singing royalty and residuals, which we couldn’t secure for her because forget about a singer, getting the same for composers and writers is impossible to start with in India. The last I remember is telling her that things in our industry don’t work like they do in the US as yet, her home base. She was very upset with me. We lost touch after that.

After you, Shweta Pandit has now alleged that she was harassed by Anu Malik...
I stand by Shweta Pandit. It takes a lot of guts and integrity to come out and share a deeply traumatic experience, which has no benefit other than being personally cathartic. Those who accuse her of doing it for publicity and saying sick things like — ‘What’s wrong with just a kiss?’ etc. do not have any idea of personal and professional ethics or boundaries. Also, India needs to note that Shweta was a minor and she was 14 years old. That this man judges a reality show year after year, surrounded by vulnerable youngsters and their parents, scares me to no end.

Lyricist Sameer says that Anu Malik didn’t harass Shweta...
He’s entitled to his opinion, but I believe Shweta and stand by her. We all know the industry to be a ‘boys’ club’ and while I’ve met Sameer saab in the past and thought him to be a gentle and kind man, I am not shocked that he would stand up for his colleague of many years, Anu Malik. I guess there is much more to gain if the boys and men stick together and keep the lopsided power structure intact. I do ask him ‘why’, though. After all the success, money and fame, why would you try and dilute this story, Sameer saab? What does Shweta have to gain except for stress and negativity by finally gathering the courage to tell her story? Also, his account with detailed quotes of what he said during the recording, which took place 17 years ago, at a time when he was the busiest lyricist, sounds wrong to me. How can you remember such exact details Sameer saab, I ask? It is different for a child experiencing trauma, because it is not a date or incident one would forget. I know many more women will be coming up with their horrifying accounts and I am sure Sameer saab is unlikely to claim to have been present everywhere to protect Anu Malik.

You have called out Kailash Kher, too...
Calling out someone for their grossly inappropriate behaviour isn’t easy or desirable. I’m not against men, just against predators. They’re an entirely different species. They are men in power who are drunk on that power and use it to abuse vulnerable women and sometimes get so addicted to it that they forget when to press the stop or pause button. I want to be that ‘stop button’ for Kailash Kher and Anu Malik. Even if two go down, it will benefit all of us. We have seen this exploitative behaviour across all strata and it’s just simply wrong to let things be. We have told countless women, who have suffered at the hands of these predators, to shut up, bear with it and carry on. This is inhuman and untenable. If we want an equal society, we must deal with this head on. Kailash’s behaviour with me is just an indication of what he is capable of. Having known me and Ram for years, having gotten his first commercial break with my partner Ram, knowing how aggressive and strong I am, he had no fear and made passes at me, touched me inappropriately in public and called me to his hotel room, despite me avoiding his phone calls during a stressful concert day. Many women have spoken up after I called him out, seven of them in the public domain, including a journalist, and I am sure many more will in the coming days, too. I shudder to think what a person might do to someone more vulnerable than me and this is the only reason I shared my story at this point of time: To give strength to others.

Will calling out perpetrators on social media deter them?
Outing perpetrators is not easy. One can only share one’s own experience. But when there’s a groundswell of accusations against a particular person, as in the case of M J Akbar, Suhel Seth, Sajid Khan, Anu Malik, Kailash Kher and many others in the workspaces, it becomes obvious that the person has a pathological problem. The process of naming and shaming is already yielding positive results in corporate India and it is commendable that the response has been swift, so it has served its purpose. I do believe that this is only the tip of the iceberg.

While I stand for the movement unequivocally, I also ask for due diligence on all our parts. We are not here for a ‘witch hunt’ and cannot become the monster we despise. I have strongly stood in my support of writer Varun Grover because of the shady manner in which he was accused. No facts, contradictory statements and just on hearsay. That kind of thing is unacceptable, but thankfully, Varun has the grace and maturity to understand the bigger cause. He isn’t pressing charges and staying quiet for now. He doesn’t want to dilute a truly important movement where there is more truth than not. I would fight for his good name with just as much conviction as I fight for the #TimesUp #MeToo movement. So, we are all in this together. All the good men and women of India, not just the women. A happier sex-pest free society will benefit all of us.

Do you think after outing them on social media, the survivors should take legal action?
Legal action requires patience, an iron will and deep pockets. Not every survivor will have the stomach for a fight that’s arduous. We must give even the accused a chance to clear their name if the accusations are patently false or malicious, so legal action is an option. I have personally always believed in the system, fought and even won in court and set a precedent. I don’t know how many can do the same though. Cannot blame them either. It isn’t that easy. We all have a life to lead and livelihood to earn. To all the good men out there, I request you to stop being bystanders. We need your voices to speak and stand up for the right thing. This is as much your fight as ours.

BT reached out to both Anu Malik and Kailash Kher for their response to the allegations, but we didn’t receive any clarifications till the time of going to press. Earlier when both Anu and Kailash were ousted on Twitter, they had denied the allegations.