Shobhaa De and Vidya Balan on NDTV at 9.30 pm #NDTVDialogues

I watched Shobhaa De and Vidya Balan on NDTV talk about women in film, women in politics, the casting couch, feminism, and a whole range of interesting issues.

Again, I found myself agreeing with Shobhaa De's views. She was candid and bold, while Vidya was more diplomatic.

Vidya explained why she had to be diplomatic, saying that actors had a responsibility of 300-odd film crew members riding on them. People who have been way too outspoken have had trouble with their films coming out peacefully in the past. She also said that she didn't want any political affiliations to overshadow her roles played on screen.

Shobhaa, on the other hand, maintained that she was aware of her numerous weaknesses and felt that politics was not her forte because she couldn't see herself kowtowing to anyone and silencing her voice. She said she has not been pro- or anti- any government, but was just speaking as a citizen.

She said feminism is not about burning bras or confrontational politics. The Indian constitution guarantees equal rights to men and women, and it is up to Indian women to be aware of this and claim our power.

Going back to some of the things Vidya said, it seemed like she was shifting the onus of #harassment on to women, by saying she was never harassed BECAUSE she had been sheltered and never gave room for it.

Having lived alone and worked in a host of reputed organizations since 1998, I can tell you that being harassed( in any way, shape, or form, however mild or severe) has nothing to do with how you present yourself. You are left wondering why it happens. So it was extremely annoying to hear Vidya sound sanctimonious and self-righteous about a topic she obviously has no clue about. She should probably go back to her safe home and eat her curd rice, leaving other women in India to face the heat!