Serious allegations of sexual assault have been levelled against Alok Nath, who is known for his 'sanskaari' image on screen. After veteran writer-producer Vinta Nanda accused Alok of raping and brutalising her, not just once but twice, a woman crew member of Hum Saath Saath Hain shared her nightmarish experience of working with him.
In an interview with a leading daily, the woman recounted her horrific experience during the last schedule of the film in Mumbai. "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," she alleged.
Even though she was "shell-shocked", the woman did not complain about Alok's inappropriate behaviour to Sooraj Barjatya, the director and producer of Hum Saath Saath Hain. "I was shell-shocked; I couldn't muster the courage to speak up against him. He was extremely close to the Barjatyas, and Sooraj sir would have taken it badly," she said.
The woman managed to get through the last schedule of the film somehow, but came out scarred for life. "I don't actively do movies anymore. The course of my career changed [after this episode]. But Vinta's post brought it all back," she said.
Meanwhile, Sushant Singh, who is general secretary of the Cine & TV Artists Association (CINTAA), has assured Vinta that they will send a show cause notice to Alok. The woman hailed the move and said, "I am glad CINTAA is taking action against him. I salute Vinta's courage; I wish I could show the same courage, but life has come way past it and I can't put my family through this."