Relatives are the real creeps: Tahira Kashyap on #MeToo

Mumbai: As the #MeToo movement has gained momentum in India, writer-director Tahira Kashyap, Bollywood actor Ayushmann Khurrana's wife, says sometimes, relatives can be the "real creeps".

The 35-year-old, who dealt with sexual harassment in childhood, revealed her #MeToo story via a long post on Twitter.

"I found solace after around 20 years when I shared the same with my husband and parents. Often the closest people, especially the relatives in your life (those whom everyone trusts), are the real creeps. I know how it feels to be violated and stifled inside for years altogether and how the memories of it makes one shudder," Kashyap tweeted. 

My #MeToo moment... wish I didn’t have one and neither did anyone. But glad we are speaking about it. Let’s have zero tolerance towards it. And let’s not question how long the victim took to speak. It took me around 20 years. Will it be held against me? pic.twitter.com/hYxUHBVI4v

— Tahira (@tahira_k) October 13, 2018

Kashyap says she used to be scared of a physical touch and said it was Ayushmann who healed her scars with love and patience.

"I was so scared of a physical touch that when I started dating my husband (then boyfriend) I would cry at every step of physical proximity. His patience and love healed me."

Even after the birth of their first child, "the memories of the torment" still haunted her.

"I know a heavy load was off my chest when even after having my first child, the memories of the torment still haunted me and for some reason I decided to tell my husband and parents about my childhood trauma."

Kashyap said the #MeToo movement is not only for the popular faces, and feels women from across all quarters must not feel ashamed to expose men who cross their boundaries.

"Please do not feel ashamed to expose the transgressor and most of all we haven't brought it upon ourselves as women, teenagers, adolescents. And in my case, being a child. I urge you to not stay silent. Also we should maintain the sanctity of this movement and not let our personal vendetta or spurious stories kill the movement."

The "Toffee" director also appreciated men for taking a part in the #MeToo movement and encouraging women to speak up the truth.

"Not all men think this way. When I see men giving a big push to this movement, I know the battle isn't lost," she added.