Sandhya Mridul shared this picture (Image courtesy: sandymridul)
Actress Sandhya Mridul is the second woman to have accused Alok Nath of sexual harassment and misconduct. Days after writer-producerVinta Nanda's harrowing ordeal of alleged rape shocked social media, Mr Nath has been named and shamed by Ms Mridul in a lengthy post on Twitter. Sandhya Mridul, best-known for her work in TV series like Swabhimaanand Koshish, details how thrilled she was to be cast in a telefilm with Alok Nath - she played his daughter and was, then, a fan of this 'wonderful bapuji.' Shooting began on set in Kodaikanal, and bapuji soon revealed a murkier allegedly alcohol-fuelled side.
Sandhya Mridul's full post is below - like Vinta Nanda's account, it is deeply detailed. She writes of how Alok Nath's alleged behaviour began making her feel uncomfortable after a cast and crew dinner and then how he would try and force his way into her hotel room where, Ms Mridul says, he lunged at her, screaming, "I want you, you are mine."
When she began locking her door, Alok Nath allegedly began calling Sandhya Mridul on the hotel phone. Desperate, Ms Mridul had her hairdresser move into her room with her and could barely shoot. She also reveals how, one day, Mr Nath allegedly confessed to having ruined his life and family by drinking to excess and promised to go into therapy.
Ms Mridul recalls her co-star Reema Lagoo, who played her mother, and others on the unit helping her through the traumatic shoot. But was shocked to find on her return to Mumbai that Alok Nath had allegedly spread the word that she was difficult to work with - something Vinta Nanda says he did with her as well.
"Mr Alok Nath, you know this to be true. As do few others," Sandhya Mridul writes, "I stand by you Vinta. What I went through is nothing compared to you. More power to you. To us all. I am certain there are others. I urge you to come forward. Your time is up sir."
Read her post:
Sandhya Mridul@sandymridulIn truth & solidarity.
I'm with you @vintananda #metoo
After Vinta Nanda's gut-wrenching account, actress Navneet Nishan said in a statement she had dealt with 'four years of harassment' by slapping Alok Nath, whom she didn't name. Ms Nanda's account included details of how Mr Nath had harassed Ms Nishan on the sets of 90s TV show Tara. Social media also dug out a 1994 India Today report about Navneet Nishan suing Alok Nath for Rs. 1 crore for alleged harassment.
A woman, speaking to mid-day anonymously, has accused Alok Nath of stripping in front of her on the set of Hum Saath Saath Hain, just one of the actor's many screen outings as the 'sanskaari bapuji.'
Tara actor Deven Bhojani, who was cast on the show after Alok Nath exited it, told Zoom TV: "He is a nice person during the day but after evening, when he drinks, he gets crazy. He abuses, he gets into fights and does all sorts of things."
Alok Nath could face an official complaint if Vinta Nanda decides to file charges - she has been assured full support from the Cine And TV Artistes Association. His lawyer said today that the actor will sue Ms Nanda for defamation, news agency ANI reports. Mr Nath told ABP News that he can 'neither deny nor agree with' Ms Nanda's account.
Both Vinta Nanda and Sandhya Mridul have credited Tanushree Dutta for motivating them to come forward with their stories. Two weeks ago, Ms Dutta accused anew Nana Patekar of harassing her on the sets of a 2008 film. It was the first of many #MeToo stories that have emerged, many of them on social media. Actor Rajat Kapoor, singer Kailash Kher and filmmaker Vikas Bahl have also been outed as alleged predators.
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Alok Nath in Hum Saath-Saath Hain. (Image courtesy: YouTube)
After Tara writer Vinta Nanda and Sandhya Mridul, another woman has revealed her story of alleged predatory behaviour from Alok Nath to mid-day. Speaking anonymously, the woman alleges that Mr Nath stripped in front of her on the set of 1998 film Hum Saath-Saath Hain, on which she was a crew member and in which he played the 'sanskaari bapuji' character on which he built his reputation as an actor. "We were shooting for a night scene and I had taken a change of costumes to him. Once I handed him the clothes, he started stripping in front of me. I was taken aback, and tried to make my way out of the room as soon as possible. When I tried to run out, he grabbed my hand and manhandled me. I remember yanking my hand out of his grip and rushing out of the room," the woman recounted to mid-day. She also said that she was "shell-shocked" after the incident and decided against reporting Alok Nath to director-producer Sooraj Barjatya because, "He was extremely close to the Barjatyas, and Sooraj sir would have taken it badly."
The woman also said she no longer works in the film industry and doesn't want to put her family through trauma by identifying herself.
As allegations of sexual misconduct pile up against Alok Nath, the actor's lawyer spoke to ANI about the first #MeToo account, which was shared by Vinta Nanda. Denying that Mr Nath raped Ms Nanda 19 years ago, the lawyer said: "I believe that this all has been done only to defame him and nothing beyond that." He added that they plan to sue Ms Nanda and spoke of a 'good legal battle'. Alok Nath told ABP News yesterday that he can 'neither deny nor agree with' Ms Nanda's allegation.
On Monday night, Vinta Nanda shared her harrowing account of being raped and violated by a man, whom she identified as the 'sanskaari' actor who played the male lead on her show Tara. He was quickly identified as Alok Nath, the man who also allegedly harassed Tara actress Navneet Nishan for four years. Vinta Nanda addressed the media yesterday, saying: "I am fearless today because I have spoken what I had to and I've let it out. And for the first time in 20 years, I'm feeling fearless, like I used to feel at that time before this happened," reported ANI.
On Wednesday, actress Sandhya Mridul revealed her own story of allegedly being preyed upon on a set by a drunken Alok Nath - the drinking problem was referred to by Tara actor Deven Bhojani who told Zoom TV that the actor 'gets crazy' when drunk. Ms Mridul alleged that during an outdoor shoot, Mr Nath tried to enter her room forcibly, in an inebriated condition, and lunged at her screaming, "I want you... you are mine." When the team returned to Mumbai, she heard that Mr Nath spread false stories about her 'acting difficult' on the sets.
Sandhya Mridul@sandymridulIn truth & solidarity.
I'm with you @vintananda #metoo
Meanwhile, the Cine And TV Artistes' Association (CINTAA) promised Vinta Nanda their 'full support' if she files a complaint and the film body is also sending a show-cause notice to Mr Nath.
In the last week, social media has exploded with harrowing #MeToo accounts, some of which have been shared anonymously while some have been recounted by celebrities. Prominent film personalities such as Vikas Bahl, Rajat Kapoor and Kailash Kher among others have been outed as alleged sexual predators.
If you would like to share any information relevant to NDTV, please email [email protected]