Throwback: When Bhumi Pednekar recalled being groped in public at the age 14; called it a ‘sickness’ | Hindi Movie News

In the last couple of years, public figures have been more vocal about their experiences with sexual harassment and assault. The actress Bhumi Pednekar, in an old interview, spoke out about a haunting incident in her own past; it can go pretty deep, she pointed out. At an age of just 14, while she had gone to a fair with her friends in Bandra, Bhumi was exposed to unwelcome physical attention that made a mark.Recounting this incident reveals not only the trauma she experienced but also underlines awareness and education needed to deal with such behavior.

Bhumi Pednekar, while talking to Hauterrfly, still remembered the day she was talking about. She was surrounded by family and friends, in such an atmosphere of utter chaos as one mostly experiences at a crowded fair. Yet, what should have been the happiest outing for her suddenly turned distressing. She tells her experience with poignant detail.
This memory is a painful reminder of the way societal norms silence those very individuals who end up in traumatizing situations out of confusion and isolation .

Beyond individual trauma, wider connotations of Bhumi’s experience emerge. Her statements reflect the normalization of such traits within societal settings:
Bhumi describes it as “a sickness.” She asks how human beings could reach this point where they would feel that this is acceptable. She said that this problem is found at a very deep-seated level in the societal mindset. Something that Bhumi really drove home in her reflection was that a lot of this behavior would reflect a lack of education on consent and respecting others. “A lot of it comes from education,” she said, pointing to the fact that underlying attitudes should be dealt with at a young age.
An incident like this throws up too many questions, especially at a cultural level. It is at this point that the discussion really comes to the fore and shows how skeptical people are of change. The issues can be freely discussed because it challenges the status quo, and it demands respect for individual boundaries.

While readying for her film “Bhakshak,” in which she essayed the role of a crusading journalist campaigning for the safety of underpriviliged girls, Bhumi’s personal experience lend credence to the performance and made it even more urgent. This role has not just been career-defining, but also is being used to make voices of a particular victim-landscape hearken louder.

Through contributing to building the voices and bringing them face to face with such issues- personal, professional- Bhumi is marking giant steps towards cultural change. As we move ahead in life, it becomes imperative to have an ever-evolving dialogue on consent, respect, and education empowered each individual to speak up against such violations. The journey to a safer society is a collective effort, commitment, starting with honest dialogues and proactive measures in communities.