Pooja Bhatt says she was chided for 'washing dirty linen in public' on accusing alcoholic ex of abuse

Kolkata: Actress Pooja Bhatt opened up about the ongoing Tanushree Dutta and Nana Patekar sexual harassment row , stating that she herself had suffered abuse at the hands of her alcoholic boyfriend, but when she came forward about the incident, other industry members chided her for “washing dirty linen in public”. [caption id=“attachment_5224741” align=“alignnone” width=“825”] Pooja Bhatt. Image via Facebook[/caption] At the India Today Conclave East 2018, recalling her own experience and the hypocrisy of the industry, Pooja said: “I have been in a relationship with an alcoholic and (there was) a situation where he struck me and I chose to speak the very next day. But the people of our industry asked why I am washing my dirty linen in public.” However, it was important for her to tell people that despite having Mahesh Bhatt as her father, she was as vulnerable as others. She said that women speaking “uncomfortable truths” in a world of lies are dismissed or looked upon as “insane”. “Violence and abuse come in various forms. When a woman feels rage about it then, it is also held against her. They take away the basic right of screaming and talking about pain. When you speak uncomfortable truths in a world of lies, then you are looked upon as insane or you are dismissed,” Bhatt said. On the importance of having a support system, she said, “Truth doesn’t require PR. It burns like fire and if you believe in your truth, you plough on. If you expect people to hold your hand when you are engulfed in the flame of life, then I think you are being naive because nobody is there to fight your battles.” Bhatt, the recipient of National Film Award for best film on other social issues for Tamanna, asked people to stop questioning ‘why has Tanushre Dutta spoken up after 10 years’. “There are women who cannot name their own fathers, grandfathers or their own brothers in their whole lifetime. It is not fair to say why now,” she said. She feels that things cannot change unless the situation changes at home. The only thing that has changed is that people talk about these issues more openly. “Unless our homes are secure, the world out there cannot be any different. I have seen people leading contrasting lives,” Bhatt said. She said every person has his or her own reasons for speaking up or not. “For some people it is therapeutic and for some, it is a way to vent anger. For some, it is to question and threaten the basic foundation. The question is: are you willing to speak your truth if it shakes the foundation of your very home, or are you willing or allowed to speak if it shakes everything at the workplace?” Bhatt added. (With inputs from Press Trust of India)