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Aamir Khan was one of the first major Bollywood celebrities to take a decisive stand for the Indian women coming forward with their #MeToo stories when he and his scriptwriter/producer wife Kiran Rao released a statement distancing themselves from the attempted rape-accused director Subhash Kapoor.

The Thugs of Hindostan star was asked about his views about #MeTooIndia on the latest episode of Koffee With Karan, in which he described the movement as a necessary clean-up:

“First of all, this kind of exploitation women have been facing for decades, centuries and not just in films, in life. And it’s really awful that any human being should be degraded in any manner, should be pressurised in any manner, misused in any manner and preyed upon. It is really heartbreaking. I am glad there is a clean up happening and women are having strength to speak about it. I wish our films did not encourage this kind of behaviour."

He admitted that he too has been guilty of cultivating a culture in Bollywood and India that views women as sex objects:

"A lot of societies in the world are patriarchal. India is one of them and the way we objectify women in our films, I have said it on my show Satyamev Jayate, I have done it. I have sung a song “Khambe Jaisi Khadi Hai”. Literally, objectifying women in every sentence. So, it is awful that we have been doing it. You know, it took me a while to realise that what I am doing is not just fun. It impacts society. I realised when all of it was coming out. People I have spoken to have told me that they have been hearing stories about so and so for years. I am shocked that this person could be like that. Never occurred to me that a person could be so predatory in nature. The more I am listening about it, I am realising it is quite rampant. That is really awful and disturbing.”

Aamir also described how navigating the #MeToo movement as an industry professional has been complicated: “Kiran and I have been talking about it and have decided that if we believe that there is enough reason to doubt the person, then we would not like to engage with that person.”

When Karan Johar asked if that was an intuitive call, Aamir Khan said, “I do not have a choice because in many of these cases, the person who is coming out with the story is not necessarily registering a police complaint. So, a person has not put a police case but is coming out with her story. I respect that. Now, that means this case is not going to be heard in a court of law. So, you will have to decide on your own.”

However, Aamir agrees that deciding on his own also has consequences. “I was aware of the responsibility on Kiran and me. Also, there were a lot of things. If the person is innocent, I do not know how will I live with myself because I would have finished the person off. I carry that burden and I think about it every night.”

We're glad that Aamir has acknowledged that confronting friends, family and colleagues about their misconduct is an uncomfortable but necessary experience. Now is the time to believe women when they accuse their abusers because they put their personal safety and well-being at immense risk when they do so.