Payal Ghosh talks on #MeToo accused Sajid Khan’s show stint

• An illustration of this is the controversy that followed Sajid Khan’s participation in a reality show.
• Khan still participates in the competition despite allegations from multiple performers.
• Actress Payal Ghosh, who claimed that director Anurag Kashyap had harassed her sexually, comments on the lack of response.

The #MeToo controversy won’t go away. An illustration of this is the controversy that followed Sajid Khan’s participation in a reality show. Khan still participates in the competition despite allegations from multiple performers who have accused him of harassing them in the past. Actress Payal Ghosh, who claimed in 2013 that director Anurag Kashyap had harassed her sexually, comments on this lack of response. “Nobody cares about it in this industry. Bollywood mein kisi ko koi farak nahin padta.”

She believes that being embroiled in these controversies actually makes one an even more appealing candidate for such shows. She says, “The more controversial you are, the more you will be encouraged on such platforms. Channel ko inn sab se kya. Unhe paise se matlab hai. I raised my voice so that others don’t suffer, but I think koi farak nahin padta. Yeh sab chalta hi rahega because industry supports these people.”

Actor from Patel Ki Punjabi Shaadi believes that everyone in positions of authority is interconnected: “Agar Salman Khan (actor, host of the reality show) nahin chahenge toh kisi ki himmat bhi nahin hogi aise kisi ko lene ki. Everything is linked — the channel, Salman and these contestants.”

The performer, whose birthday was November 13, also looks back on the previous few years and discusses how speaking her mind cost her a lot of employment. “I don’t know why this happened but ek mind set ban jaata hai shayad ki this person will create problems. But I am not going to do that. I am working… doing other films and everything is going smoothly. But things have become very difficult. Even if you are trying to be a better human being, it’s difficult.”

Describing her birthday celebrations this year, Ghosh, 35, says, “I am not a big fan of birthday bashes, so I try to keep it low-key with very close friends and family members. I would rather spend the money that I have on things that matter or people who need it…like the little kids.” However, Ghosh recalls how celebrations used to be grand with her father arranging everything. “He used to make sure that it indeed is the most special day of the year for me. And adding to the celebration was the good food of Kolkata. I miss all that,” she wraps up.