Daily Times

‘Tara’ star Navneen Nishan has lent support to Vinta Nanda for calling out Alok Nath on alleged sexual harassment and rape confirming she also faced the distress for four years. Navneen said that she empathises with the “terrible pain” Nanda has gone through. She added that she also suffered because of this man’s “power trip” but made it stop by slapping him eventually.  “I empathise with Vinta for the terrible pain she has gone through; it is unimaginable. I dealt with the four year harassment by slapping the man in question and it is done and dusted. “l suffered the loss of the show and was further shamed by the man through media and I endured that. I fought my battles there and then. I am immensely glad that the power trip and sexual dominance coming from this power is being called out.

‘Tara’ star Navneen Nishan has lent support to Vinta Nanda for calling out Alok Nath on alleged sexual harassment and rape confirming she also faced the distress for four years

It is high time,” she stated. Navneen also added that she stands behind any woman or man who is calling out these harassers and sexual predators under the #MeToo movement. Producer, writer Vinta Nanda on Monday accused Alok of raping her at her house after offering to drop her from a party. In a Facebook post, Vinta wrote: “He was an alcoholic, shameless and obnoxious but he was also the television star of that decade, so not only was he forgiven for all his bad behaviour but many of the guys would egg him on to be his worst. My lead female actor was being harassed by him. He would mess with her on the sets and everyone would be silent. When she complained to us, we decided to let him go.” Meanwhile, Nath has addressed these allegations now, calling them absurd.

The actor talking to an Indian news channel said, “Neither am I denying this nor do I would agree with it. It (rape) must have happened, but someone else would have done it. Well, I do not want to talk much about it or it will be stretched.” Nath, in his reaction, was dismissive and patronising. “At one time she used to be such a good friend… today she said such a big thing. In a way, it was me who made her what she is,” he told the channel, adding, “It is useless to react on the allegations as in today’s world only what a woman says will be considered. In such a situation, it would be wrong to say anything.” He added, “What do I have to do with people? People will say anything to spoil the image. Leave my image, whatever has been said, it is absurd.”

Published in Daily Times, September 10^th 2018.