On the night of August 4th, an anti-rape protest in Kolkata took a disturbing turn when actress Rituparna Sengupta, a prominent figure in the Bengali film industry, was targeted by a section of the crowd. As Sengupta arrived at the protest, she was met with hostile chants of “Go back” and “Shame” directed at her. The situation escalated quickly as protesters surrounded her car, throwing bottles at it.
Journalist Atanu Roy, who accompanied Sengupta, described the harrowing experience on Facebook. He recounted how the actress initially hesitated to leave but was forced to depart as the chants intensified. The crowd, according to Roy, became aggressive and attempted to physically assault Sengupta. This sudden outburst of violence shocked everyone present.
Despite the chaos, a group of journalists, actors, and concerned individuals stepped in to protect Sengupta and help her escape. However, the crowd’s aggression continued. One journalist was repeatedly elbowed in the jaw, sustaining facial injuries, while others were hit with water bottles and suffered bruises.
Sengupta’s companions managed to get her into a car, but the protesters attacked the vehicle violently, banging on the windows and refusing to listen to her explanations. The situation remained tense as Sengupta narrowly escaped further harm.
The incident has triggered a wave of shock and disappointment among the Bengal film community. Filmmaker Srijit Mukherjee, director of JioCinema’s “Shekhar Home,” shared Roy’s post on Facebook, expressing his dismay. Actress Sudipta Chakraborty, a prominent advocate for women’s safety, expressed disbelief at the crowd’s behavior, questioning how they could forget the very cause they were protesting for: the protection of women’s dignity and rights.
This incident raises crucial questions about the boundaries of protest and the need for respecting individual rights within collective action. While the fight against violence against women is paramount, the means of achieving this goal must not compromise the safety and dignity of others.
