Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah actress Jennifer Mistry, who plays the role of Mrs. Sodhi in the popular sitcom, has accused the TMKOC makers of sexual harassment including producers Asit Modi, Project Head Sohil Ramani, and executive producer Jatin Bajaj. Following her exit from the show in March after a 15-year tenure, Jennifer took to social media and made the shocking revelation about her experiences. However, Malav Rajda, the former director of TMKOC, has called the allegations baseless and untrue. On the reports claiming that she was intentionally sacked from the show when she was pregnant, Rajda expressed 'these things happens.'
He told Etimes, "These are the things that happen between producers and actors. These things happen in Asit bhai’s cabin so I would never know. I know that she wanted to do the show even during her pregnancy, she was willing to work. But then they had their reasons that when Sodhi is not there how will we show her pregnant. That was a different thing. I’ve no idea about the details. But she has never been indisciplined."
Now, Mumbai police have started an inquiry into the complaint of sexual harassment filed by Jennifer against producer Asit Kumarr Modi. The producer has denied the allegations, claiming that the actress was let go from the show due to misbehaviour. ALSO READ: TMKOC's ex-director Malav Rajda on Jennifer Mistry being called 'abusive': 'Shoot had to suffer...'
A First Information Report (FIR) will be registered after statements of those named in the complaint are recorded, the police official here added. The Powai police in Mumbai had earlier received an email from Jennifer Mistry complaining against the producer and the two crew members. They have now received a written complaint in which the actor has levelled allegations of sexual harassment, the official said.
The written complaint, received by police on May 8, came from the National Commission for Women (NCW) which the actor had approached seeking justice, he said. The actress claimed that the producer “sexually harassed” her on multiple occasions over the last few years.
Earlier, she took to her Instagram account and shared a video saying some powerful words and warning the makers. She recited a couplet, "Chuppi ko meri kamzori mat samjhna, main chup thi kyunki saleeka hai mujh mein. Khuda gawah hai ki sach kya hai. Yaad rakh, uske ghar mein koi fark nahi tujhmein ya mujhme." (Don't take my silence for weakness, I was quite because I wanted to. God knows what is the truth, don't forget we are equal in front of him.)
