Anu Malik has returned as a judge on Indian Idol. He was asked to leave the show last year when many women accused him of sexual harassment.
His return to the show has made many, including singers Sona Mohapatra and Shweta Pandit, who accused Malik of sexual harassment, angry. Mohapatra has written a long post regarding the chain of events on Instagram.
Not only Mohapatra, another singer Neha Bhasin has accused Malik of harassment. Bhasin wrote that the composer made her uncomfortable by laying on a couch in front of her and talking about her eyes. Bhasin says she was only 21 when this happened.
Neha Bhasin tweeted about the incident, after showing support for fellow artist Sona Mohapatra, who in a recent interview slammed Anu Malik and the TV channel Sony for bringing him back as a judge on the reality show. In the tweet, Neha also said that despite having a brave DNA in her, she had to 'hide' in order to never face a sticky situation like that again.
I agee with you. We do live in a very sexist world. Anu Malik is a predetor, i too have run away from his strange moves when i was 21. I didn't let myself get into a sticky situation beyond him lying on a sofa in front of me talking about my eyes in a studio. I fleed lying https://t.co/tQgStLrYyT— Neha Bhasin (@nehabhasin4u) October 30, 2019
I fleed lying my mums waiting below. He even msgd and called me after that to which i stopped responding. The point is i went to give him my cd and hope for a chance at a song. He was older and shouldnt have behaved the way he did. @The_AnuMalik is an ugly pervert and does not https://t.co/tQgStLrYyT— Neha Bhasin (@nehabhasin4u) October 30, 2019
Even though i have a brave DNA Sona :) as you have known me the industry or the world was not an easy place as a young girl alone away from family due to many such Incidents or getting a hunch of such perverts. Perverts exist inside n outside our industry but why are we so https://t.co/VcCxryE8Ff— Neha Bhasin (@nehabhasin4u) October 31, 2019
(2) so forgiving to the men, do we realise that is what gives them the strength to ruin our dignity, hide us women in our houses. I hid many times so as to not get myself in a sticky situation. Why is it ok? For a man who is predetor to walk free while we hide in shame n fear? https://t.co/VcCxryE8Ff— Neha Bhasin (@nehabhasin4u) October 31, 2019
Sona Mohapatra recently tweeted clips from an interview where she said that she was asked to leave Sa Re Ga Ma Pa, a reality show that she was judging, and her co-judge said that her revelation only gave their rival show 'publicity'. "It takes only a Nirbhaya level tragedy for #India to wake up? Few days after these????????,I was asked to leave my judge seat. My co-judge told me,the publicity I provided to Anu Malik took up the trps of our ‘rival’ show. (?!) A year later,a sexual predator is back on the same seat," the singer wrote on Twitter.
It takes only a Nirbhaya level tragedy for #India to wake up? Few days after these????????,I was asked to leave my judge seat. My co-judge told me,the publicity I provided to Anu Malik took up the trps of our ‘rival’ show. (?!) A year later,a sexual predator is back on the same seat. pic.twitter.com/HFaLCOAXzZ— ShutUpSona (@sonamohapatra) October 29, 2019
Sona Mohapatra, since then, has written an open letter to the Indian media, and Sony TV. In the strongly worded letter, she has not only recounted the various incidents of harassment by Anu Malik but also bashed musicians like Sonu Nigam, Vishal Dadlani and Neha Kakkar for extending support to the composer.
Read it below:
This. pic.twitter.com/LoZKmiHzEC— ShutUpSona (@sonamohapatra) October 31, 2019
During the #MeToo movement in October 2018, Sona Mohapatra had accused Anu Malik of passing a lewd comment in front of her husband Ram Sampath. She also said that the composer would call her in odd hours asking her awkward and random questions. Right after this, Shweta Pandit shared her experience as a 15-year-old, when Anu Malik demanded a kiss from her, while she was giving her voice test. The singer called him a "paedophile and sexual predator."
Had to go back to my worst memory as a teenage girl today to write this and speak up - its now or never. This is my #MeToo and have to warn young girls about #AnuMalik & let you know your #TimesUp @IndiaMeToo Thank you @sonamohapatra for speaking up about him & supporting this pic.twitter.com/e261pGQyEq— Shweta Pandit Fucci (@ShwetaPandit7) October 17, 2018
Pop singer Alisha Chinai had also accused the composer of molesting her during the making of her hit track Made in India. “Every word said and written about Anu Malik is true. I stand by all the women who have finally spoken up. May they find peace and closure in their lives," the singer said in a statement to a daily.
Caralisa Monteiro, best known for songs like Dard-e-Disco, Mitwa and Nashe Si Chadh Gayi also shared her experience, where she said that once Anu Malik insisted she come to his house for a jam session. The singer refused to do so and took her friend, singer Clinton Cerejo to the studio as she was very uncomfortable working with Malik. She never worked with Malik since then.
A few other women have accused the composer of harassment. One woman, who is anonymous, said that hr incident dated back to 1990s. She met Malik in Mehboob Studios where she was recording a song. “He simply unzipped his pants and asked me to lick him. I told him no and urged him to let me go, but he pulled me by my hair and stuffed my face in his lap, hurling abuses as he did so,” she recounted.
Neither Sony nor Anu Malik's representatives have commented on the allegations yet.
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