Kangana Ranaut, Deepika Stand For And Endorse Gender Equality: Malaika Arora

At a time when several celebrities from both Bollywood and Hollywood are speaking up and sharing their experiences sexual assault, actor Malaika Arora believes that women continue to fight many battles on daily basis but the most prevalent of them is the fight against sexual harassment.

“I think women fight so many battles literally on a daily basis. There are loads of issues but for me the one thing that makes me cringe, that makes me sad, that makes me want to stand up and do something about it is sexual harassment,” she said while speaking to News18.com.

“Sexual harassment needs to be addressed. There needs to be some sort of law that is put in place and it is the need of the hour,” she added.

On being asked about the existing gender inequality in the film industry, Malaika didn’t mince her words and shared that we still have a long way to go. “I don’t think we have managed to bridge that gap just yet. Yes, there is immense gender inequality we’ve been seeing but in the space and work we’re in I think that’s been there.” She added that the women of today are “fighting for it and are coming together to make a noise about it and trying to pave a path for all the other women.”

“There’s still a lot of disparity in the industry and it continues to be a male-dominated industry. There’s still so much of pay inequality but we’re here at fit to fight and I’m sure that it’ll not go unnoticed or wasted. This fight will pay and our women will come out triumphant,” she noted.

Malaika further lauded the likes of Deepika Padukone and Kangana Ranaut, who at respective occasions have stood up for themselves. She said, “There are a very few like a Farah Khan or a Zoya Akhtar or a Kangana or a Deepika – I think all these women stand for and really endorse gender equality. They’re really pushing and they do a wonderful job at it.”

The actor was present at Reebok FitToFight Awards 2.0 in Mumbai to felicitate women nominees for their valour and courage from across the country.