It's the dirty picture

Kolkata is a safe place for women. It’s okay to travel alone at night. People in the city are cool with women drinking. These myths have been busted after a woman returning from a nightclub was allegedly raped in a car recently.
So, we decided to ask our celebs and P3P about their unpleasant experiences at nightclubs, and out tumbled a tale of overtures, propositions and even physical assault — overall, a very dirty picture.
Actor Swastika Mukherjee, who parties often, says that being a celeb has its share of disadvantages. People often try to get too close. “There are requests like, ‘Can I click a picture with you?’ ‘I have seen you in films, can I get you a drink?’ You can’t always expect a wellmannered crowd at nightclubs. So, I politely refuse such advances,” she says. The actor chooses to party with a select group of friends, with whom she feels “safe”.
Five years back, city model Tina Mukherjee was left bruised and bleeding on the road when a man punched her in the nose for protesting against eve-teasing. When roads are not safe for women, can nightclubs be any different, she asks. “We models have to frequently deal with such indecent proposals. After shows, strangers approach us saying, ‘Can I have your number? I am planning a fashion show,’ ‘Can I drop you home?’ The best way to deal with this is to snub them outright. Why indulge them by getting into a conversation? When men make passes at discs, I give them such a stare they realize they are messing with the wrong person,” she says.
Another model, Sonika Chauhan, who usually parties with fiance Shashank and his group of friends, says, “You can’t possibly be escorted to the ladies room, right? And this is the chance they look for. There have been occasions when men have tried to act fresh with me or feel me up on a crowded dance floor. Once, I was on the verge of slapping a man, who was nearly my father’s age,” she remembers.
What makes matters worse is the notion that models are easily available, says model Satarupa. “Such pests at discs are unavoidable. I for one, give them the royal ignore,” she says. Does it mean male company is a must when it comes to a woman letting her hair down at a disc? Rii, for one, asks: “Why can’t a girl party alone? Why does she need to have male friends if she wants to go to a disc? I love my own company.” But she has seen some trouble-makers. “One needs to have a level of confidence to ward off these shady characters. I remember once someone had offered me a lift to which I said, ‘Keno dada, apnar ki taxir business achhe? Or are you a cabbie?’ I never saw the man again that night,” she recounts.
Tina feels that all about the size of the wallet now. “The crowd profile at nightclubs no longer matters. Hence, the safety of girls is also at risk. Certain nightclubs permit stag entry against a lucrative amount. There are others who enter with a girl and then look around for other options.”
Most celebs feel that the party crowd has gone from bad to worse over the years. “That’s why discs need to screen the crowd before allowing entry,” feels Satarupa.
Actor Tanusree Chakraborty feels that there should be more CCTVs at every disc. “Bouncers do keep a watch but if you let your guard down, there’s no one to help you. In spite of partying with close friends, I’ve had men asking me for a dance or wanting to get clicked with me,” she adds.