#TheVintaNandaStory: From assault, to drugs and finding herself again
The #MeToo wave hit India earlier this year and castles of many were rightfully shattered. One of the most prominent names to emerge out of the movement, intended to create a safe space for sexual assault survivors, was Vinta Nanda. Writer-producer of hit show Tara, Vinta revealed Alok Nath, the sanskaaari actor of Bollywood, raped her. Now months later, Vinta has spoken up again.
After violating her, Alok didn't stop with the abuse
Vinta's expansive Facebook-post revealed Alok raped her after a party. What was more traumatic was that she was violated at her home. But what Vinta had to face after was no better. She said Alok used to show up drunk at her ground-floor office and abuse her. "One day, he barged into my house and tried to drag me into my room," she said.
He ensured her career faced hurdles
Alok used all his might to pull the plug on all the shows Vinta was a part of. Understandably, she didn't want to be near him. She quit directing and started writing. "Yet, when he asked me to come to his house, I went. I had already been through the humiliation of my serials being pulled off the air and I didn't want to be seen as somebody who was unable to cope with another job," Vinta said.
She opened up during an interview but to no avail
Vinta discussed the incident with her closed ones and everyone suggested her to go to cops. She wasn't ready to do that. In 2004-5, she gave a full-page interview to a publication but nothing happened. All it did was make the industry hostile towards her. All this got to Vinta and she started having breakdowns in meetings and was nervous all the time.
Hoping to cope up, she took the drugs route
Vinta looked for an escape, drank a lot and flirted with drugs, she revealed. Fortunately, her friends helped her put her life together and in 2009, Vinta started her own company Asian Centre for Entertainment Education. She said after the #MeToo movement arrived, she thought it was time to tell her story. The 48-year-old is also glad CINTAA expelled Alok.
Vinta says the obvious: Men need to understand boundaries
"I loved my life. I was a successful woman. Who has ever said that being a strong and independent woman is a ticket to be violated? I began telling this story because the most sanskaari man on TV owes us an apology," Vinta said.
