'He forced himself...': Shilpa Shinde accuses filmmaker of sexual assault
What's the story
In an exclusive interview with News18 Showsha, actor Shilpa Shinde has made serious allegations of sexual assault against a Hindi filmmaker. She claimed that during the early stages of her career, she was asked to seduce the filmmaker under the garb of an audition. This revelation comes in the wake of several actors sharing their experiences of sexual harassment and assault following the public release of the Justice Hema Committee Report.
Incident
Shinde recounts harrowing incident from early career
Shinde detailed the incident, which took place during her struggling days around 1998-99. She was instructed to wear certain clothes and perform a scene where she had to "seduce" the filmmaker. Shinde stated, "That person tried to force himself on me, and I got so scared. I pushed him away and ran out." "The security staff realised what had happened and asked me to leave immediately. They thought I would make a scene and call for help."
Identity
Shinde withholds filmmaker's identity, cites concern for his family
Despite the severity of her allegations, Shinde chose not to disclose the filmmaker's identity. She explained her decision by saying, "He was from the Hindi film industry. I agreed to do the scene because he was also an actor." "I'm not lying, but I cannot take his name. His children are probably a little younger than me, and if I name him, they will suffer too."
Encounter
Shinde met the filmmaker years later as well
Shinde recounted a later encounter with the same filmmaker, who failed to recognize her and even offered her a film role. "After a few years, I met him again, and he spoke to me kindly. He didn't recognize me and even offered me a film role. I refused. He still doesn't remember me," she said.
Harassment
Shinde asserts harassment is a widespread issue in film industry
The Bigg Boss 11 winner stated that such incidents are common in the industry. "These things happen to everyone. Some have run away like I did. We, as actors, have talked about it, and others have told me they've faced similar situations, even with well-known figures." "When people talk about sexual harassment, I strongly believe that yes, you may have been approached, but you also have the choice to say no. You can choose not to be part of it."