Several Bollywood celebrities, including Alia Bhatt, Hrithik Roshan, Karan Johar, and Kareena Kapoor, have expressed their outrage over the alleged rape and murder of a trainee doctor at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in August. The horrific incident has sparked widespread condemnation and protests across the country. Among those who have spoken out is Bengali actor Rituparna Sengupta, who shared her harrowing experience after being heckled at a protest rally in Kolkata on September 3.
Actor Heckled at Protest
Rituparna Sengupta revealed in an interview with AajTak Bangla that she was subjected to “go back” slogans as she arrived at a protest rally that began in the Shyambazar area of Kolkata. The situation quickly escalated, and she was forced to leave. She described being pushed and chased by an unruly crowd, saying, “The way they were pushing me, I could have died. They used crass language. Young boys and girls started hitting my car. No one knew who they were. They are unnamed. They possibly enter all protests in the same way.”
Who are these people who heckled actor @RituparnaSpeaks at the protest last night ?
She is not a politician.
Does she not have a right to express herself? She is also a woman. Does she not deserve a safe environment to protest?
How can a woman be mobbed and heckled like this… pic.twitter.com/Xs4VAbnmMZ
— Indrajit Kundu | ইন্দ্রজিৎ (@iindrojit) September 5, 2024
The actor also raised concerns about the presence of disruptive elements, stating, “Such elements are giving a wrong direction to the protest and defocusing the masses.”
Concerns About Safety
Recalling the ordeal, Sengupta expressed her fears about women’s safety in the city. She questioned the safety of the trainee doctor who was murdered, remarking, “If this is the situation outside amidst so many people, then one can only wonder how unsafe and insecure the girl was on that day… I don’t understand why (there is) this resistance against us. It is terrifying.”
Bollywood Responds to Kolkata Incident
The brutal crime has drawn significant attention from Bollywood celebrities. Veteran actor Anupam Kher has demanded capital punishment for the accused, while filmmaker Karan Johar voiced his shock and disappointment over the case.
Actor Hrithik Roshan also took to social media to express his concerns. Writing on X (formerly Twitter), he said, “Yes, we need to evolve into a society where we ALL feel equally safe. But that is going to take decades. It’s going to hopefully happen with sensitising and empowering our sons and daughters. The next generations will be better.”
The case continues to stir emotions and calls for justice.
