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Writer-filmmaker Srishti Riya Jain and cinematographer-filmmaker Juhi Sharma are among the many who have corroborated these claims, stating Shah had been engaging in such behaviour for years. His former partner published a harrowing blog, recalling emotional, physical, and sexual abuse.

The feeing of denjà vu

Shah promptly deactivated his Instagram account following these allegations. Dharma Productions, the studio behind Homeboundissued a swift statement washing their hands of him. They clarified that Shah was a freelancer and no POSH (Prevention of Sexual Harassment) complaint had been filed during his tenure. In Bollywood, where freelancing is the norm, careers are fragile, and can-do attitudes are the currency, survivors often stay silent.

Reports have confirmed that Shah has been removed from the upcoming Sourav Ganguly biopic starring Rajkummar Rao, where he had already begun pre-production work. Shah, who recently worked with Vikramaditya Motwane (on the 2024 thriller CTRL), Still has anushka sharma’s jhulan goswami biopic Chakda ‘Xpress slated for release. For now, he is being publicly shunned. But there is no discussion of legal consequences yet.

All of this feels like déjà vu and that’s because it is. Shah’s fall from grace is yet another reminder of Bollywood’s general attitude towards accountability. Their real allegiance, one might argue, is not to justice, but to reputation management and profiteering. Accused men in Bollywood are often uproariously (sometimes quietly) reinstated after a performative timeout. Studios rely on legal technicalities to avoid accountability. And survivors are systematically silenced.

Also read: Homebound review: A heartbreaking tribute to migrants’ plight during lockdown

In 1986, Farah Naaz accused Jackie Shroff of behaving inappropriately with her then-minor sister, Tabu. This was at a party hosted by Danny Denzongpa during the shooting of Diljalaa (1987). Though reported by Ori Post and covered by Movie dangerthe incident has faded from public memory. Shroff’s “beedu-fication” is his only recognisable brand now, and this incident has been relegated to the most salacious and shadowy gossip corners of the internet like many such stories from Bollywood.

Bollywood’s culture of silence

Whenever a crime of abuse occurs, people are quick to question the women for not speaking up sooner. Well, historically speaking, it matters little if women speak up or fight back. In 2002, Aishwarya Rai (now Rai Bachchan) publicly confirmed what had long been whispered in tabloids and insinuated in media reports for long. Salman Khan had physically and emotionally abused her during their tumultuous and much-publicised relationship.

In an interview with The Times of IndiaAishwarya stated“Salman and I broke up last March, but he isn’t able to come to terms with it… After we broke up, he would call me and talk rubbish. He also suspected me of having affairs with my co-stars. There were times when Salman got physical with me, luckily without leaving any marks. And I would go to work as if nothing had happened.”

This was a rare moment of public truth in Bollywood. A top actor speaking openly about abuse by one of the industry’s biggest stars. She also confirmed that his violent behaviour had cost her professional opportunities. Back then, such admissions were not only rare but risky. Bollywood lacked any support systems for survivors, and media narratives overwhelmingly favoured male stars. Two decades later, little has changed.

Rai wasn’t the only woman to speak out about Salman’s abusive tendencies. Somy Ali, who dated Salman in the 1990s, also revealed how he physically abused her, and that she stayed silent out of fear. Even Katrina Kaif, who has never directly confirmed abuse, was the subject of numerous media reports during their relationship. There were whispers of controlling behaviour and public outbursts from Salman towards her as well. In a viral 2008 incident, Salman was reported to have barged on to the set of Singh Is Kinng and created a scene when Katrina was filming with Akshay Kumar; not unlike the Chalte chalte incident with Aishwarya.

Post-2002, Salman went on to star in Tere naam (2003), which became a cult hit and furthered his image as a tragic, obsessive lover. This onscreen persona was eerily close to how he behaved with his partners offscreen. It almost felt like a cinematic pardon for his toxicity. A romanticisation of it, in fact. His legal troubles, including the blackbuck case and the 2002 hit-and-run case, only added to his “bad boy” image.

That Salman Khan continues to command crores, influence, and a devoted fan base despite confirmed abuse, legal charges, and multiple controversies is not inexplicable. It is how patriarchy — and Bollywood as its perfect microcosm — operates. The system is designed to protect and enable powerful men. In 2002, Aishwarya had the courage to speak. But two decades on, Salman is still protected by the same culture of silence and impunity. And he is not the only one.

No legal comeuppance

Nana Patekar was one of the earliest and most high-profile names to be accused during India’s #MeToo movement, when actress Tanushree Dutta alleged that he had sexually harassed her on the sets of Horn ‘Ok’ Pleassss in 2008. This was an accusation she bravely reiterated a decade later, helping to reignite the national conversation on abuse and accountability in Bollywood. When I interviewed Dutta for a reported piece for InUthshe spoke with unflinching clarity, reminding other survivors that they are not alone in this fight and that speaking up, even after years of silence, still holds power.

Patekar continues to be active in the film industry. As do men like Sajid Khan, accused by over ten women of sexual harassment and misconduct. He was welcomed back in the limelight as a contestant on Bigg Boss 16 in 2022, cheered on by fans and industry colleagues alike. Aditya Pancholi was accused by Kangana Ranaut of long-term abuse. The allegations included physical assault, rape, and drugging her when she was still a minor. He was accused of rape by another woman. But his denials are taken more seriously and even the patterns of alleged abuse are treated as mere gossip.

Watch: MeToo row in Kalakshetra unfortunate; women must speak out: Anita Ratnam

Even Rajkumar Hirani has been able to cling onto his image of being one of Bollywood’s “nice” guys. He was accused of sexual assault by a crew member on Sanju (2018). The accusation — which led to a split between Hirani and longtime collaborator Vidhu Vinod Chopra — has been buried under layers of public (as well as legal) amnesia. When the altogether terribly-made DINKI released in 2023, every critic and audience member preferred arguing over its cinematic merits rather than confront the deeper irony: that a man accused of sexual abuse had written a film where the lead gets to play hero by saving the heroine from rape.

Vivek Agnihotri, Kailash Kher, Rajat Kapoor, Shubhash Ghai…the list of accused men is lengthy and that of the accuser is dotted with mostly anonymous names. Some of these women have either quietly retreated into the shadows or dropped out of the industry entirely. So, while it is great that Shah is being booted from some of his current projects, it is not enough. Losing work is temporary. Strict legal consequences are forever.

A push for amendments

To hold perpetrators like Shah accountable, every film set must have an independent POSH committee covering all workers (freelance or otherwise), with strict, enforceable zero-tolerance policies in contracts. Survivors should receive full support to file legal complaints that are fast-tracked in special courts.

At a broader level, we need to push for amendments so that penalties for non-compliance (e.g., failing to set up an ICC or stonewalling a complaint) include personal liability for senior management and financial fines substantial enough to deter cover-ups.

Lastly, an independent, government-empowered grievance redress mechanism — separate from the internal committees of studios — should be established to monitor, investigate, and publish findings on all film-industry complaints. Only when accountability is baked into contracts, courts, and corporate governance will predators know that their power and connections no longer guarantee impunity.

The West, for all its flaws, saw tangible outcomes post-#MeToo. Harvey Weinstein was convicted. Kevin Spacey’s career was gutted; even though he is vying for a comeback moment right now. At least, Weinstein is in jail. In India, the survivors vanish while the accused keep getting second, third, and fourth chances.

So, yes, a systematic dismantling of the boy’s clubs in addition to a functioning redressal mechanism is the only way forward. Until that happens, the Pratik Shahs of the industry will continue to find work and the women they’ve harmed will continue to slip through the crack