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EXCLUSIVE: Jennifer Mistry says Asit Modi told her, ‘Tumhare honth bahut acche hain, mere room mein aa jao’
Jennifer Mistry Bansiwal, in an exclusive interview with Pinkvilla, opened up about the accusations of sexual harassment levelled against Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah’s producer, Asit Kumarr Modi.
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Jennifer Mistry was threatened to be replaced and was age-shamed.
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Asit Modi's alleged sexual advances were made at Jennifer.
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Jennifer reveals Asit Modi has misbehaved with other colleagues.
Trigger Warning: This article contains mention of sexual misconduct
Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chasmah actress Jennifer Mistry Bansiwal aka Mrs. Roshan Singh Sodhi, has made some shocking allegations against the show’s producer, Asit Kumarr Modi, operations head, Sohail Ramani and executive producer, Jatin Bajaj. The actress stated that the instances of misconducts kept increasing that forced her to leave the show. Thus, leaving behind her three months and six days’ salary. Pinkvilla reached out to Jennifer, and in this exclusive interaction, she spoke about how she isn’t the only victim from her show, there are other members too, who choose to stay mum. From her husband’s reaction to instances when Modi chanced upon her and the colleagues she confided in, the 44-year-old bared it all.
‘The makers of Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah threatened to put my salary on hold’
I told Mr. Sohail, who's our operation head that I want to leave the show because a lot of inappropriate things were happening but I was threatened that if I leave the show, my 4 months' salary will be put on hold. Sohail and Jatin, both know everything that Asit Modi told me in Singapore. I was told that your money would be kept on hold, you will be replaced, you’ve grown old and won’t get any work outside. They kept threatening me, so, I thought this is the the job through which I am getting money and running my house. It was both, mental and sexual torture for me, and I would think this man, the producer of my show, is passing such remarks. In jest, he’s pulled my cheeks twice and said, ‘Tum hanste hue acchi lagti ho’ (Your smile makes you look very pretty) in front of everyone. He also said, ‘Aao, aakar whiskey peete hain,’ (Come, let’s have whiskey together) which was all in fun.
On the comments that Asit Modi passed at Jennifer Mistry Bansiwal
But what happened in Singapore was extreme. He said, ‘Tumhare honth bahut sundar lag rahe hain, pakadkar kiss kar loon. Tum akele room mein kya karti ho? Mere room mein aa jao. Tumhari room partner toh chali jaati hai, tum mere room mein aa jaya karo, whiskey peete hain. (You’ve got attractive lips, feel like kissing them. What do you do alone in your room? Anyway, your room partner leaves, come join me in my room and let’s have whiskey.
On the makers speaking disrespectfully with her
Asit Modi told me these things in March 2019 but before this, in October 2018, Sohail spoke in a very disrespectful manner with me because I’d asked for a leave for my daughter’s passport appointment, which was a week later. I just needed 3 hours for the work, and I kept calling everyone to approve the leave. After 3 hours of not getting any response from anyone, I confirmed my daughter’s appointment with the passport office. Abuses were hurled at me over the call for taking a 3 hour leave from work.
On her husband’s reaction to this case
Whenever I received such threat calls, my husband would ask, ‘What is this that you are doing? You are selling your soul. Why are you even working here?’ I said, ‘I’ll go crazy if I take any action against them.’ They will torture me on the set and I don’t want to take this further, let me go to work.’ I told these things to my husband and let it go but he said, ‘Jennifer, this is not fair. You are not doing the right thing’ but I did not have the courage to fight against these powerful people. After that, Modi ji said these things in March, and many such similar incidents happened.
I once again told Sohail that I don’t want to do the show but they kept demeaning me but how much will you press someone down. ‘Ab itna daba diya hai ki darr hi khatam ho gaya hai,’ shared the actress.
Disclaimer: If you know someone who has experienced sexual assault of any kind, is going through depression or is suffering from a serious mental illness, reach out to a nearby doctor, mental health expert, or an NGO for immediate help.
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