Bollywood actress Celina Jaitly has shared a painful childhood experience, highlighting the harsh realities many women face. In her post, Celina opened up about the harassment and victim-blaming she endured starting in sixth grade.
Celina described how a group of university boys harassed her as a young girl. They would wait outside her school, follow her rickshaw, and shout at her every day on her way home. Despite her efforts to ignore them, their behavior worsened—they began throwing stones to get her attention. When she reported this to a teacher, she was blamed for being “too westernized” and not dressing appropriately.
Celina also recounted a disturbing incident when a man exposed himself to her while she was waiting for her rickshaw. This traumatic event made her feel ashamed and guilty, especially after being told repeatedly by her teacher that it was her fault.
The harassment continued into high school. In 11th grade, boys from the university cut the brake wires on her scooter because she refused to acknowledge them. When her male classmates reported this to teachers, Celina was blamed again. A teacher accused her of having a “loose character” because she rode a scooter, wore jeans, and left her hair open. Despite the danger she faced, including a near-accident from the tampered brakes, she was still held responsible.
The situation became so dire that Celina’s retired Colonel grandfather had to escort her to and from school for her safety. Even then, the harassment continued, with the boys mocking both Celina and her grandfather. Celina remembers her grandfather’s disappointment and disgust, feeling deeply hurt by the actions of those he had once protected.
Celina Jaitly concluded her post with a strong message: it’s time to demand protection and justice. “WE ARE NOT AT FAULT!” she wrote, calling for an end to victim-blaming and a safer world for women.
Celina Jaitly, known for her roles in films like Apna Sapna Money Money, No Entry, and Golmaal Returns, has added her voice to the ongoing conversation about harassment and the need to stand against victim-blaming.