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Holi has become excuse for being lewd: Vidya Balan
By Subhash K. Jha, Indo-Asian News Service
Mumbai, March 17 (IANS) Budding actress Vidya Balan says she stopped playing Holi long ago because it has become an excuse for lewd behaviour in metros like Mumbai.
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"I stopped playing Holi long back...when I was in school. Beyond a point, Holi became an excuse for lewd behaviour. Rang se khelna achcha lagta hai. But beyond that, I don't enjoy it," Vidya told IANS about the festival that was celebrated Wednesday.
"In Mumbai, especially, I feel Holi is becoming too colourful for women. The streets are just not safe for women. I must say in non-metropolitan places like Madhya Pradesh the essence of the festival is still alive.
"The basic mood of Holi, when all inequalities are washed away in the flow of colours, is taken a little too seriously by some aggressive elements in our society. To drop all inhibitions isn't to make life miserable for others, especially women. It's impossible for women to step out of their homes.
"I didn't step out on Holi day before evening. Holi khelo apnon ke saath. You've no right to get boisterous with strangers. Invasion of privacy is hardly a way to celebrate. So celebrate with people who are friends.
"...Having said that, I must say Mumbai is a relatively safe city for women. They can and they do deal with hooligans when they have to. For years, I was a train commuter in Mumbai. And I was a victim of eve-teasing a lot many times. There have been instances when I've slapped men and screamed at them for staring or misbehaving. I was warned against retaliation.
"But I think if male aggression isn't nipped in the bud, they finally gather the courage to get worse in their behaviour. Societal fear is so large that women keep quiet when they're subjected to indecent behaviour. Not me. When I commuted by train I'd pull up men for staring at me. As a woman you instinctively know a man's intention by the way he shakes your hand."
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