As thousands of people march on the streets of various cities in India to protest the brutal gangrape of a 23-year-old paramedical student in the nation's capital and the inability of security agencies to curb crime against women, many film and TV actors expressed their concern and highlighted loopholes in the legal system.
Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan has also extended his support to the gangrape victim of Delhi.
At the announcement of Zee Cine Awards 2013 in Panchgani, Shah Rukh said, `I am extremely shocked, saddened and disgusted. I have been watching and reading a lot about it. We hear some talk about women inviting trouble because of the way they dress when they travel alone late at night.
"I would like to say that women do not get raped because of these things, they get raped because men rape them. That is the main issue here.`
`Men in our society need to understand this, we need to take a call. It is a very sad incident. Instead of politicising it, we should take action by making more stringent laws, having courts that can dispense justice swiftly and of course, we should have a special task force in every city, every State, which should look into such heinous crimes.
"I have been brought up by women, I have been surrounded by women, have been personally and professionally been encouraged by women in every sphere of my life. I have an immense amount of respect for women,` he said.
Deepika Padukone who will soon perform at the upcoming Zee Cine Awards also voiced the same words as Shah Rukh.
`I think exactly the same. Women are constantly blamed for the way they dress. It is high time that we do something about stopping such crimes. The rules and the laws should become a lot more strict and action needs to be taken and faster,` she said.
Zee TV has also attempted to showcase in its shows the message of social relevance through its various shows and characters.
In Qubool Hai, the track highlights how it is not right to perpetrate crimes against women.
So, instances in Qubool Hai resonate with the topical burning issue as the lead protagonist, Zoya (Surbhi Jyoti ) is shown being kidnapped and forced into a nikaah as an example of feudal mindset and Humeira (Ketki Kadam) is almost molested showing how men are trying to take advantage of women.
"We are trying our best to speak up against growing crimes against women in India in every way we can. That girl could be anybody's friend, sister or mother so we need to stand up and raise a voice against it...our track is a small way of connecting with and empowering our audiences," said Surbhi (Zoya of Qubool Hai).
Karan Singh Grover (Asad of Qubool Hai) said, `Many social workers across cities work to empower the women victims of violence to fight their own battles. We often tend to blame the rise in crime graph on external factors such as media and Western culture, but the harsh reality is that such crimes are an extension of how we behave with women in our houses."
"If a person is able to slap his wife in front of his son, you cannot expect the same person to respect other women in society. There is no sure shot solution to such crimes. It is a grey area. It needs a multi- pronged approach.
"While police should take crime against women seriously, large mass education and giving a definitive message are equally important."
"And, I am referring to the kind of upbringing we give to children and what is taught to them in the school curriculum. Bottom line is that our mindset should change to respect women. Educate men to respect women and empower women!` he said.
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