There's more awareness post #MeToo wave: Kalki

Actress Kalki Koechlin says she has witnessed several changes in the film indusrty after the #MeToo campaign against sexual harassment at workplace gained traction in India.

"I think there's more awareness. I have received code of conduct drafts before doing a play. I have learnt about actors agreeing on touch before intimate scenes," Kalki told IANS over e-mail.

According to the "Dev D" actress, "provision for safety" has increased.

She said: "There have been difficult conversations with men about the subject that are ongoing, I think the provision for safety has increased, as women we are demanding certain standards and productions are responding to that."

The #MeToo Movement got sparked in India last October when former actress Tanushree Dutta recounted an accusation she made against actor Nana Patekar for alleged sexual harassment on the sets of their 2008 film "Horn OK Pleasssss".

Her case led the #MeToo wave in India as it opened the floodgates for numerous other women from every walk of life to come forward with their stories.

On the work front, Kalki has recently featured in the web series "Made in Heaven" and is currently prepping up for her Tamil project called "Emma and Angel".

Apart from films, she is also associated with luxury brand Hidesign for her bag line. Kalki has now come up with her bag's latest collection.

"Each collection comes with some experience from the last and figuring where to improve and what to create next. It's a daring collection. It's got adventure and power in caps written all over it."

Kalki feels designing has led to enhancement in her creativity.

"You get to think about what women want (as mostly my collection is for women though I'm all for gender fluidity and hope men wear the bags too!) You start understanding your following and the market better," she added.

--IANS

sim/rb/bc