Several Bollywood actresses have expressed their displeasure towards the makers of Bigg Boss for inducting Sajid Khan as a contestant in Bigg Boss 16. The list of actresses includes Iranian actress and model Mandana Karimi who accused Sajid Khan of harassment during the MeToo movement.
In an interview with the Times of India, Mandana Karimi said that there is no respect for women in the film industry and that she does not intend to work in Bollywood anymore. Mandana Karimi was last seen in Ekta Kapoor’s serial Lockup. Mandana Karimi added, “For people, life has become like, ‘If it’s going to benefit me and I can make money, who cares?’ The industry is a place where someone is someone’s mum, boyfriend, girlfriend, or husband. It’s like, You scratch my back and I will scratch yours.”
Mandana Karimi had alleged in 2018 that when she had gone to meet Sajid Khan for the movie Humshakals, he had asked her to remove her clothes. He had allegedly told her, ‘if I like what I see, you might get the part’.
Urfi Javed has also criticized Sajid Khan for participating in Bigg Boss. Sona Mohapatra who had accused Sajid Khan during the MeToo movement has also criticized the producers of the show.
Urfi Javed wrote on her Instagram story, “Bigg Boss, why would you do that? When you support sexual predators, you’re actually telling them that it’s okay what they have done. These men need to know this behaviour is not okay and they cannot get away with it. Stop working with sexual predators!”
Urfi Javed further wrote, “It’s not controversial, it’s just disgraceful! Sajid Khan never apologised for what he did! Imagine what the girls he harassed must be feeling? So you don’t really have to worry because even if you harass multiple women you will still get to be on the biggest show in India!! Controversy ke liye aap har cheez thode support karenge! #Colors stop supporting sexual predators!!!”
Referring to sexual harassment, the fashion influencer with her unique fashion styles further wrote, “Sajid Khan is accused of showing his private parts to girls, asking girls who want to become actresses to send nudes to cast them in the film, using lewd and vulgar language from women, and watching porn content in front of female peers.” Urfi didn’t spare Kashmera Shah and Shehnaaz Gill either. On Shehnaaz’s support for Sajid Khan, Urfi wrote that how can one praise a sexual predator? She added, “You’re all making him a hero. He might have made some laugh through his scripts but who knows how many girls he has made cry in real life?”
It is notable that Urfi Javed was a participant in season 1 of Bigg Boss OTT streamed in 2021. She was first to be evicted from the show on the 8th day.
Author Mohua Chinappa shared a post on Instagram in which she wrote, “Big Boss hosted by Salman Khan has got the MeToo accused Sajid Khan to join the show as a contestant. It is shameful that even after the recent rape case of Ankita Bhandari and the innumerable deaths that go unregistered. We will have him on national television in a very popular show. This says a lot about the people who have chosen him and how the powerful often get away with accusations against them.”
She added, “It was physical and emotional trauma for the victims. This can’t be overlooked. According to the reports as many as nine women have accused Khan of harassment. There are reported incidents where he flashed his private parts, asked actors to give auditions in his bedroom and other inappropriate questions have come to light.”
Film critic Sucharita Tyagi tweeted, “In case we’ve forgotten, Sajid Khan took his d*ck out in front of women regularly, actors journalists he didn’t care. just a reminder before we start watching that damn show ‘just for entertainment yaar’. expect better demand better. he’s been brought on not because he’s a talented filmmaker but ONLY because of this response his presence will generate among women and make news stories. it’s sick and disgusting do not accept.”
he’s been brought on not because he’s some talented filmmaker but ONLY because of this response his presence will generate among women and make news stories. it’s sick and disgusting do not accept
— Sucharita Tyagi (@Su4ita) October 2, 2022
Sona Mohapatra tweeted, “This is Sajid Khan, now on a reality TV show. Then there is Anu Malik judging a music reality show on TV, for children no less. Kailash Kher Celebrity Judge on TV. ALL called out by many many women in Me Too. Indian TV channels, and executives are indeed depraved & sad lot.”
This is #SajidKhan , now on a reality TV show. 👇🏾Then there is #AnuMalik judging a music reality show on TV,for children no less. #KailashKher ? Celebrity Judge on TV. ALL called out by many many women in @IndiaMeToo .Indian TV channels, executives are indeed depraved & sad lot. https://t.co/uUzrIYb7sn
— Sona Mohapatra (@sonamohapatra) October 2, 2022
Sona Mohapatra also called out Javed Akhtar and Farhan Akhtar for their silence on this issue. Tagging Javed Akhtar in his tweet, she wrote, “Dear Javed Akhtar, I know you to be a veteran, feminist & thought leader of the Indian film industry. That you choose to have remained silent all these years about these men you know very very well, personally, hurts me & breaks my heart. Charity begins at home.”
Dear @Javedakhtarjadu , I know you to be a veteran, feminist & thought leader of the Indian film industry? That you choose to have remained silent all these years about these men you know very very well, personally, hurts me & breaks my heart. Charity begins at home. 🙏🏾 💔 https://t.co/h4IDyHHqDx
— Sona Mohapatra (@sonamohapatra) October 3, 2022
In another tweet, Sona Mohapatra tagged Farhan Akhtar and wrote, “Dear Farhan Akhtar, you front an organization called MARD. This man & the many others are known to you personally. Speak up, Stand Up only when it’s convenient, or pay to virtue signal for ‘our cause’ not now? Charity begins at home.”
Dear @FarOutAkhtar , you front an organisation called MARD. This man 👇🏾& the many others are known to you personally. Speak up, Stand Up only when it’s convenient or pays to virtue signal for ‘our cause’ not now? Charity begins at home. 🤟🏾💔 https://t.co/h4IDyHqnBx
— Sona Mohapatra (@sonamohapatra) October 3, 2022
It is notable that a video clip of the late Jiya Khan’s sister Karishma appeared that revealed Sajid Khan’s deeds. This clip is a part of a documentary by BBC. In this, Karishma says, “I remember going to Sajid Khan’s house with my sister (Jiya). I was probably only 16 at the time. We were near the kitchen table. I wore a thin strip top and leaned on the table. He was constantly looking at me and he suddenly said – Oh, she wants to have sex with me. My sister Jiya immediately came to my side and said, What are you saying? Sajid Khan said, Look at the way she is sitting. My sister replied, Oh no. She is innocent and younger. She doesn’t want all this.”
After this, Karishma told that she left with her sister. But she said in the video that she felt very astonished and disgusted. Jiya’s sister says that when Sajid Khan asked her sister to take off the top, she came home and cried a lot.
Karishma said, “It was rehearsal time. She was reading the script when Sajid Khan asked her to remove her top and bra. She didn’t know what to do. She had said that the film has not even started yet and all this is happening from now on. She came home and cried a lot. She said – Sajid Khan has contracts. If I leave, I will be sued. If I don’t leave, I will be sexually assaulted. Either way, I will be the loser.”
