Vinta Nanda photographed at a press conference in Mumbai.
Highlights
- Alok Nath was expelled from CINTAA after no show before committee
- Alok Nath may be expelled from the film body permanently
- "It's a very broad statement," says Vinta Nanda
Writer Vinta Nanda says that Alok Nath's expulsion from Cine And TV Artistes' Association or CINTAA is a "landmark and unprecedented step," reports The Quint. Last month, Vinta Nanda shared her searing account of being raped by an actor 19 years ago, whom the Internet identified as Alok Nath based on her description of her alleged rapist as a 'sanskaari' actor. "It's a great move in terms of establishing a system and sending a very clear message that everyone is accountable. No matter how late or early it is, if you are a part of an industry, you are accountable," Ms Nanda told The Quint, after Mr Nath was temporarily expelled by the top film body for no show before the executive committee.
The 62-year-old actor will be expelled from CINTAA permanently if he fails to appear during annual general meeting on May 1, CINTAA senior joint secretary said in a statement, tweeted ANI. "This was not the case in the past when everyone was acting with impunity and getting away with anything. It's much larger than just my case. It's a very broad statement, all-encompassing the many complaints that have come... I do believe this is a very solid, collective call being taken by CINTAA, because they are fully supported by all other associations as well," Ms Nanda added.
In October, Vinta Nanda, who wrote television show Tara, featuring Alok Nath in the lead role, recounted the details of years of isolation, depression, trauma and suffering that she endured after being raped by an actor. She had not named Alok Nath in the Facebook post but social media deduced it was the Hum Saath-Saath Hain actor based on Ms Nanda's description of her violator - "Irony is that the man, the predator in question here is the actor par excellence who is known as the most #Sanskaari (cultured) person in the film and television industry."
Alok Nath sued Ms Nanda for defamation after which she told NDTV: "I will fight it to the end because now that I have got into it, I have to take it to its logical end."
After Ms Nanda's post went viral, actress Sandhya Mridul and a crew member from 1994 film Hum Saath-Saath Hain also named and shamed Alok Nath in their respective #MeToo stories. Later, actor Deven Bhojani told Zoom TV he had heard stories of Alok Nath's "drunken behaviour" while Soni Razdan told The Quint that she had "seen Alok Nath behave very lecherously after being drunk."
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