The introduction that goes on forever:

When someone asks me to write in 1000 words “why” I’m making these videos — I tend to have a brain freeze. My head starts to spin, and I can’t focus on one reason. Well, let’s see, yesterday for example, I was walking down Link Road wearing a polo neck t shirt (if you don’t know what Polo is, please google it) and a skirt when two boys on a bike crossed me, yelling “Oh Baby, Nice Boobs!!!” — I was in such a state of shock that it took me 10 seconds to digest what had happened. A fucking Polo Neck.

I recon 5 out of 10 girls will tell you they’ve had their boobs smacked in an auto on a crowded street. Had their ass pinched in the “men’s compartment” of a local train. Wait. Women’s is no better — Men may touch you sexually, but the women, they’ll knuckle your assets & pull your hair like there’s no tomorrow. A lot of people in India have just “accepted” these things; I guess I can’t.

I feel awful that in an influential Industry like ours, the ‘Film Industry’, where actors have millions of fans, most people don’t want to stand up for something, or take “sides”. Most female actors themselves don’t want to be associated with the term ‘Feminism’ as though it’s a bad thing. I don’t know if it’s their mindset, or their lack of knowledge of the term ‘Feminism’ because I see them saying wonderful things like “I believe in women being strong and independent, I believe in women having the freedom to be who they are and wear what they want, but I’m no feminist” — what the f*** does that even mean?

Everything we DO, our entire life style as a girl is unaccepted and not allowed for women all over this country. Late hours, short clothes, parties, romance, bikini’s, abroad vacations, this freedom – how can one have that luxury, and then say “But I don’t support it”. How can we not speak up about physical abuse, or violence, or slut-shaming, or education?

For me, the whole idea of having a voice, having a medium to inspire & yet not using it feels like a shameful thing.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not against fashion, or glamour — I just wish there was a better balance.

Some people feel that my videos are too bold, in your face — but I’m just trying to make up for the loss. In our society, even if a girl whispers “I was raped” we destroy her character and kill her will to ever want a love life, and here I’m screaming “I’m not a slut!” — Trust me, I was ready for some backlash. This video isn’t for me or about me — As I mentioned, as an actor I can wear whatever the hell I want, in fact I’m expected to ‘look hot at all times’.

This whole video series is a dedication to Indian Women. Strong, Independent, yet Sensitive Indian Women. The one’s I interact with daily. The women on my Instagram, the ones that send me disturbing DM’s about their personal lives daily. On a daily basis when I see/hear of these incidents, it gets my blood boiling, not because it “happened to me”, no, but when those boys yelled out remarks about my tits, my first thought was, “I wonder where they’re going?”… “I wonder who he sleeps with, or who his sister is”… That’s scary. Is it not scary, to imagine being the women in these men’s lives? I believe, what most women need is just a voice. A little push to be themselves.

I know my videos won’t change the world. It’s not a revolution. But it gets people talking. Men and women have healthy discussions, and, it’s pissing people off. I like that. That must mean it’s working. Women are speaking up more for themselves, they’re speaking up for other women — I am actually hearing girls say “Just be you!” to each other. It gives me goosebumps! In this process, if every day, even one mind is being opened to the idea of equality of women — I guess that’s why I’m still at it — for that one mind.

– Saloni Chopra

(Bought up in Australia, currently in Bombay. Actor by profession, but also Jack of all. Currently finished working on an MTV show called ‘Girls on Top’, based on 3 women struggling to be independent in Mumbai. Traveller. As an 18-year-old, when I realised I’d been to 11 different schools, I knew I was a traveller at heart. A cynical writer (changing the cynical part gradually). Sucker for love. My life’s so dramatic, that if it were a book – it’d be a bestseller)