Exclusive: Lara Dutta Highlights Importance Of Consent: “No Is A Complete Sentence, But Some People Don’t Know How To Say It Clearly”
Well said, indeed!
Consent is one of the most important things to be taught and learnt by every individual. Be it consent when it comes to sexual or physical aspects or consent when it comes to saying no about other things. In an exclusive interview with Hauterrfly’s The Male Feminist, actor Lara Dutta talked about the importance of consent and her experiences with asserting boundaries in Bollywood. In the interview, Lara Dutta spoke about her beliefs regarding consent, emphasising that “no” is a complete sentence in itself.
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Lara Dutta On What Consent Is According to Her
Lara mentioned that consent extends beyond just physical and sexual interactions by adding that “No” is a complete sentence in itself, and you don’t have to give an explanation after the No. She said, “It is not necessary to give an explanation after saying ‘No’. ‘No, thank you’ is a complete sentence.” She also added, that if someone doesn’t understand it, then it’s their problem, not hers.
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Lara Dutta On People Not Saying “No” In The Industry
Further talking about saying “no” Lara Dutta said that she believes that in the entertainment industry, people don’t know how to clearly say “no”. She said, “They think that if they say no to someone, their relationship will be hampered or the other person in front of them will get offended.” Being a producer, Lara Dutta said that if she approaches an actor to work on a film, she has experience that they will never say no, they will rather give a reason or stall the offer.
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Also Read: Ranneeti: Balakot & Beyond Trailer Ft. Jimmy Shergill, Lara Dutta Promise Emotionally Charged Drama On Pulwama Attack, Balakot Airstrike
Lara Dutta On Her Professional Ethics And Saying “No”
Talking about her own professional ethics, she said, I have never left someone hanging if a project comes to me and I’m not interested in the project. Then I will simply say no, thank you. It’s not for me. She asserted that the chapter ends there. She also added, “Consent always is something that needs to be specified. I have said ‘no’ in the industry very vocally and vociferously.”
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Lara Dutta On Walking Away After Saying “No”
Adding to the same, on being asked whether she had a setback or got explained why she shouldn’t say no, Lara said “If I’ve said no, I’ve said no and I’ve walked away. I’ve never stood around to hear what gyaan (knowledge) people have to give behind it. Even if you do have (knowledge), you can keep it to yourself”, asserting that she was never fazed or changed her mind after declining an offer.
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More About The Interview
In the exclusive interview, Lara Dutta also talked about her experiences working in a male-dominated industry, giving a sneak peek at how the narrations were done back in the time when there weren’t a lot of women in the industry and how the scenario has changed for women now. On the work front, Lara is all set for the release of her new web series Ranneeti: Balakot & Beyond alongside Jimmy Shergil, Ashutosh Rana and more.
