CYNOSURE OF ALL EYES: Participants interact with actor Divakar at a workshop in Berhampur on Saturday. — Photo: Lingaraj Panda

BERHAMPUR : An exploiter of women on TV screen, actor Hara Prasad Ratha proved to be the main attraction at a women's workshop on violence against them.

Mr Ratha is the villain in the popular TV serial, Tulasi telecast on ETV-Oriya, which is quite popular among women. He was one of the guests at the workshop organised by NGOs, Aaina and Seva on Saturday in the city as part of their `We Can' campaign.

When Mr. Ratha got down from stage to interact with the women delegates who ranged from the age of 16 to 60, he was bombarded with questions related to the negative character enacted by him in the serial. Many women addressed him `Divakar' the character he plays in `Tulasi'. He was asked why he was continuing exploit girls even after their marriage in the serial. To make his fans differentiate real life from reel life Mr. Ratha had to say, "Whatever I do on screen is for my livelihood. I am not that in my real life. I would also advise my sisters to retaliate if any male behaves like my screen character in real life." According to Pranati Mishra of Aaina, the aim of this workshop was to create core women activists who can prove to be catalysts to oppose atrocities on women in their localities.

One of the guests, Deputy Superintendent of Police, B.B.Padhi advised the women not feel shy to contact the women's police station or any other police official to report any case of exploitation or atrocity.

According to him in several cases due to pressure the victim do not approach police for action .

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