Ritabhari Chakraborty calls Bengali filmdom 'sugar coated brothel' in wake of Hema Committee report, urges Mamata Banerjee for a probe

In an Instagram post, Ritabhari called a few heroes, producers and directors of the Bengali film industry, also known as Tollywood, "predators" alleging their sexual assault.

"The hero/producer/directors with such filthy mind and behaviour continue to work without facing consequences of their actions and (are) even seen holding candles for the RG Kar victim as if they think of women as anything better than flesh," Ritabhari writes.

"Lets unmask these predators," she added, urging her female colleagues "to stand against these monsters".

The actress, who has also worked in some prominent Bollywood films, has asked her "fellow colleagues" to shed their fear and unmask the "influential men".

Photo courtesy: Screenshot grab

She said, "But how long do we stay quiet? Do we have no responsibility towards the young actresses that come to the business with dreams and are made to believe this is nothing but a sugar coated brothel."

Ritabhari has also urged West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for a probe as well as reform.

"@mamataofficial didi - We need a similar investigation in our industry right away. No we don’t want another case of rape or assault before we are finally taken seriously. Being in the show business does not give the right to any man to look at us as commodity or their targets to satisfy their thirst of power or sex."

The 290-page Hema Committee report has detailed the problems faced by women in the Malayalam film industry, also known as Mollywood.

The report by the three-member panel- headed by former judge of the Kerala High Court and constituted by the state government in 2017- has claimed the industry is dominated by a "mafia of powerful men" and that "sexual harassment of women is rampant".

It has also narrated poor working conditions where junior artists had no access to toilets, had to run to bushes or behind thick trees and faced physical discomfort during periods.