have sex. as and when possible. embrace your sexuality, use it. this is your biggest, biggest weapon, you may say. he just came towards me and he said, come on, remove your clothes. i want to see. i want to see your assets. and he started doing that, he started removing it. and... it's too uncomfortable for me to speak further, but yeah. did you ever think of going to the police? the answer i got from the police, was that they are filming people. he probably meant the law doesn't apply to filming people, and justified when it happened. why are you afraid to go public with the stories?“ somebody speaks up, everybody trashes the girl and says that the girl is publicity hungry. she has no

talent, and probably has nothing to do. she probably wants money. being asked for sexual favours in return for film roles being asked for sexual favours in return forfilm roles is not being asked for sexual favours in return for film roles is not a being asked for sexual favours in return forfilm roles is not a new thing. it even has a term, "casting couch". but it is the kind of thing that lurks in the background of the filming industry. people can say that it happens but no one wants to be the one to talk about it, let alone deal with it. this woman has beenin alone deal with it. this woman has been in the filming industry for a decade and won a national award for her role in this film. this is my award... she is one of the few actresses willing to go public about shall he has —— about how she has faced the so—called casting couch. it's time for us to come out and talk about our own experiences. i faced it. iam talk about our own experiences. i faced it. i am still facing it. talk about our own experiences. i

faced it. iam still facing it. if talk about our own experiences. i faced it. i am still facing it. if i can come out and talk about my experiences, maybe others can too? why might she may have won accolades for her work but she still gets proper decision and by directors and said that one even fretted her when she refused edge worried and threatened her when she refused. he saidi threatened her when she refused. he said i need sexual relations with you, andi said i need sexual relations with you, and i said no. he said, if you say no, i won't cost you in my film. on top of that committee cursed me and saidi on top of that committee cursed me and said i will not get any good roles, nothing could would happen to me. this, and that... and i was like... i don't think you have that much power. most of bollywood's big names have stayed silent on the issue of harassment. this woman is one who is speaking out. a sought—after leading lady, she has also faced unwanted advances. this

year, she scored her biggest hit in this blockbuster. the film was on the unconventional topic of access to sanitary products. both on and off—screen, is a champion for women's rights. i talk about it opening —— openly but i empathise with everyone, people are so scared. yes, some people are regarded as gods. they are so powerful, that people do not just gods. they are so powerful, that people do notjust think gods. they are so powerful, that people do not just think that gods. they are so powerful, that people do notjust think that my voice is going to matter. or they do not think that if i speak, my career will probably be ruined. in some other countries, if you want to be an actor, or part of the film industry, there is a process. you study, you work towards it, and it's a lot to do with your talent, and where you come from. and what you study. here, it does not work like

that. we did not have a system. everything was based on your personal contacts, how is your social conduct, how do you present yourself, how do you look? what are yourself, how do you look? what are you ready to do? unfortunately, in oui’ you ready to do? unfortunately, in our country, bollywood is regarded asa our country, bollywood is regarded as a glorious and glamorous thing, everybody wants to be part of it. it has not been demystified yet. when you saw hollywood and the me too moment that happened, what did you think here in bollywood? the way that women, and men of course, came together and decided as a team they would not let this happen, i wish that could happen here. this is another big—name actress who has broken her silence and spoken to us about it. in the past she has talked openly about how she was abused as a child, and empathises with the young actresses who are scared to share

their own bollywood horror stories. one, people do not listen to you if you are a nobody. two, if you are a celebrity and you don't agricultural about it, it only becomes a shocking headline —— if you talk about it. plus, you are dealing with hundreds of people throwing their opinions at you. it can really shake a person emotionally. it is a very difficult step to take. in indian society there are limitations... but for any real dialogue to happen, kalki policeman has to get on board... women and men are sexually harassed, it's important to realise that this is not a gender battle of women against men but a battle against power and the idea that once you get ina power and the idea that once you get in a powerful position you can do

what you want. this man is an actor, director and singer. he comes from a well—known film family. his mother is an actress and screen actor and his father a lyricist. as the founder of tupou men against discrimination and brate, he is one of the few men in the industry to speak out —— men against discrimination and rape. speak out —— men against discrimination and repel discrimination and rape.|j com pletely discrimination and rape.|j completely understand that there will be people out there mac waiting to ta ke will be people out there mac waiting to take advantage of people as and when they can. it is an unfortunate reality and hopefully it will change. hopefully it gets more women speaking up. there is some amount of shaming that puts fear into people's hearts. i trust women when they say it exists. at what point do you think there will be a tipping point,

where bollywood has its me too moment? you know, i think it's on its way. i think there is enough awareness, there is enough dialogue, there is enough, apart from social awareness, there's enough awareness that all of the people we speak with and collaborate with, if there needs to be change, there has to be courage behind it. it is difficult to force someone to do something, it is very easy just to tell to force someone to do something, it is very easyjust to tell someone, why don't you go ahead and do it? the fact is, i do believe that if people, and if women do speak out, then they will find people to support them and stand behind them and stand with them. that will happen. ijust and stand with them. that will happen. i just feel and stand with them. that will happen. ijust feel it's a matter of time. many say that things will not change as long as bollywood remains a male dominated industry. on—screen

portrayals of women feed into the sexist culture. one example is the bollywood item number, a song and dance sequence where a leading lady ta kes dance sequence where a leading lady takes the centrestage. the woman is often scantily clad as she is lusted after by a group of men. these are meant to be family films, but these are very sexual portrayals. it is obvious, it is very clear. you know, women are cheated and considered as objects of desire —— treated. that is what is sold to the public and they enjoy seeing that. this is an industry veteran who has broken many moulds. she was the first trained women technician in bollywood and is now one of the few female directors behind the lens. she says she was once propositioned by a leading music producer and she has faced the

casting couch throughout her career. no control over your feelings, your emotions? if it is consensual, go ahead and do what you want, but you cannot just take advantage ahead and do what you want, but you cannotjust take advantage of women, girls. the problem in bollywood is that there are no checks and measures. there is nojustice, you cannot go to any place, like in the academics, or in the office, you have, because that is the law of the land. you are supposed to have a sexual harassment person to deal with these issues but i've never heard of this, for years it has happened in bollywood. in a business that attracts young and ambitious hopefuls, there is still very little support and few mechanisms for anyone to report abuse. until the most powerful in the industry come together and accept that there is a

problem, then bollywood is unlikely to come up with a solution. the main groups representing bollywood producers and directors did not respond to our request for a comment on the issue. people are fascinated with bollywood. if you ask ten people out of ten, at least seven wa nt to people out of ten, at least seven want to work in bollywood mac in some way or - it want to work in bollywood mac in ill!!! want to work in bollywood mac in some way or - it. to look é polished h pretty and shiny and polished and bling, and itgéa; pretty and shiny and polished and bling, and itgéas the look perfect. pretty and shiny and polished and bling, a so t géas the look perfect. pretty and shiny and polished and bling, a so much:he look perfect. pretty and shiny and polished and bling, a so much stuff ok'pe'rfect. pretty and shiny and polished and bling, a so much stuff that é’rfect. pretty and shiny and polished and bling, 4330 much stuff that é’rfect. [eéléji 21; muaezll-ii ll

and women need to have a dialogue with each other, not against each other. that is really important. it's a very slow turn, it has to be smart and slow, and that comes through awareness and participation. many people that i have spoken to feel that bollywood will not have its own me too moment until there are more women in power in the film industry and in indian society as a whole. until then, the issue of sexual harassment in bollywood remains the one story that few want to tell. bollywood's dark secret. hello there. we should see a few

more showers in southern counties of england by the morning. it will be a dull and grey and misty start across the midlands and eastern scotland. the lower cloud retreating to coastal areas, sunshine develops more widely. some sharp showers, thundery in southern england. heading towards the midlands and wales later in the day. not as warm as it was on monday. sunny skies and high temperatures in scotland and northern ireland. it's easily into the mid—20s. lower cloud in overnight. more showers and wet weather in the south—east, heavy rain and thunderstorms too. that pushes further into england, and towards wales, as we head into wednesday. a few hours of heavy rain, potentially thundery. the

threat of flooding, pushing towards wales and northern england. the south—west looking drive. the southeast should improve, cool and cloudy, dry for scotland and northern ireland. sunny and warm. i'm rico hizon in singapore, the headlines: the diplomatic scramble continues — us and north korean officials are due to have another day of talks aimed at getting the roller—coaster summit back on track. time is up on the latest search for the missing malaysian flight mh370. what next for the families still waiting for news of their loved ones? i'm babita sharma in london. also in the programme: a deepening political crisis in italy causes tremors on european financial markets, with fresh elections on the way soon. an early election later this year may become an unofficial referendum on italy's membership of the eu and this country's relationship with the union it helped to found.