Someone else would have raped Vinta, says Alok Nath

Mumbai: Actor Alok Nath, who has been accused of raping Vinta Nanda stated that the allegations against him are absurd as he made her what she is.

Alok stated, "Kuch to log kahenge (People will say something). Neither I am denying this nor do I 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. As for the matter, if it has come out, it will be stretched."

He added, "However, we only have to hear to women's stand because they are considered weak."

The Cine & TV Artists Association (CINTAA) has decided to send him a show-cause notice.

Asked about his "sanskaari" image, Alok said, "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."

He said at one point, Nanda used to be his good friend.

"...today she said such a big thing. In a way, it was me who made her what she is. It is useless to react on the allegations as in today's world, whatever a woman says, only that will be considered. In such a situation, it would be wrong to say anything," he said.

ALSO READ: VIDEO | Alok Nath accused of raping this celebrity

Nanda held a press conference here on Tuesday, talking further about how when she had opened up two decades ago, nobody came to support her.

"When I spoke years ago, not a single person came in support of me. And now one Facebook post became viral and I am standing in front of you with so much support. Not a single person questioned him that (time), everyone knew what happened... Silence is dangerous. I became silent, due to which I had to suffer so much. I left the industry," she said.

Has she filed a police complaint, Nanda said: "I have not filed a police complaint yet."

However, she feels this is "just the beginning" of the #MeToo movement in Bollywood and other fields in India.

"It will not stop now and it should not stop. It is encouraging. It is just a beginning. Women should not afraid to speak."

Why was she silent for so long?

"I took a lot of time to open. I was blaming myself that why I was so bold, why I was so open... I was questioning myself... So, I was not able to come out. But now I have realised that I should not be ashamed of myself and the man who harassed me should be ashamed of himself."

THE ENTIRE INCIDENT:

Vinta stated, “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, many of the guys would also egg him on to be his worst. He even harassed the show’s lead actress who was not interested in him.”

Nanda recounted the incidents that followed after she left a party at Alok’s house at 2 a.m. She said her drinks were mixed.

I started to walk home on the empty streets… Midway I was accosted by this man who was driving his own car and he asked me to sit in it and said he would drop me home. I trusted him and sat in his car.

“I have faint memory after that. I can remember more liquor being poured into my mouth and I remember being violated endlessly. When I woke up the next afternoon, I was in pain. I hadn’t just been raped, I was taken to my own house and had been brutalised.

“I couldn’t get up for my bed. I told some of my friends but everybody advised me to forget about it and move on.”

Well, this was not the end of the chapter, later, Nanda got the job to direct a series for Plus channel, where she again crossed her pathed with ‘Sanskari babuji’.

Nanda told, “The man found his way through the casting route and became one of the lead actors on the show. He created an environment in which I was made to feel threatened, so I asked the producers to release me from directing the series because I didn’t want to be around where he was. I continued to write the show.”

When asked about why she took so long time to share her pain, Nanda said, ” I was working on this new series and Alok Nath on a regular basis used to ask me to come to his house again and I went to allow him to violate me”.

“I needed the job and didn’t want to leave it as I needed the money. It was after this that I quit.”

After sharing her phase of pain, she also urged people who have suffered at the hands of predators, to come out and say it aloud.

“Don’t hold yourself back. This is a moment for change, so your silence will only hold barriers to its evolution. Speak out. Shout out from the top of the roof, “She said.