Noted musician and composer Anu Malik has been accused of sexual harassment by singer Shweta Pandit who alleged that Malik abused her when she was only 15. In a detailed note posted to Twitter, Pandit referred to Malik as a “paedophile” and “sexual predator.”
In her note, Pandit shared that the incident happened in the year 2001 after she was launched as a lead singer in the Shah Rukh Khan – Aishwarya Rai starrer Mohabbatein.
She said she was invited to meet Malik alone at a small cabin in a music studio, who asked her to sing any song without music. After her short performance, which went well, he offered to give a chance to sing with Shaan and Sunidhi Chauhan “if he gave her a kiss first.”
“He then smiled, what I’d recall the most evil grin I’ve seen. I went numb and pale in the face. I was only 15-year-old then, still in school. Can anyone even imagine what it felt that moment? It felt like someone had just stabbed me in my stomach,” the singer continued of her ordeal.
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 (@ShwetaPandit7) October 17, 2018
Pandit, however, isn’t first woman to have accused Malik of harassment. Sona Mohapatra, in an interview with Hindustan Times earlier revealed that she too faced harassment by the hands of music composer.
However, the Indian Idol judge has denied the allegations and called them “ridiculous”.
Speaking to the Indian media, Malik said, “No comments. This is ridiculous. I don’t want to talk about it. Today anyone says anything.”
In the wake of sexual harassment allegations by actor Tanushree Dutta against against veteran actor Nana Patekar, several high-profile celebrities, politicians and journalists have been swept by the #MeToo storm which has hit India hard, with fresh allegations coming forward almost everyday.