Vichitra Quit Films Due To Sexual Harassment At Film Set: 'Top Hero Asked Me To...'
Vichitra spoke about a sexual harassment incident on the sets of a Telugu film in Kerala that led her to quit films in the Bigg Boss house
New Delhi: Vichitra, Tamil actor currently a contestant in 'Bigg Boss Tamil Season 7' has opened up about quitting films. Sharing her experience as part of a task in the house, she narrated a life-changing event that forced her to leave her decade-long career. She spoke about a sexual harassment incident on the sets of a Telugu film in Kerala that led her to quit films.
Without revealing the name of the film and the people who may have been involved, Vichitra said, "Based on the request from a now-deceased actor, I went to act in a film called Malampuzha. That’s where I met my now husband too. So, he was working in the hotel I was staying at. I had a very big issue there… you know there are issues around casting. I faced that the most in that film. The reason I disappeared after 2000 is because of that incident. It became a huge incident back then and was reported in papers. It became a scar that won’t heal. Bigg Boss, on that day, was telling us we should face our demons. If I speak about this, maybe, I will win over my demon.”
Vichitra added that the management party of the hotel threw a party at the time. Vichitra was invited by the manager( her husband now) to attend the event. "I am meeting the hero of the film there for the first time. He looked at me and the first thing he asked me was, ‘Are you acting in the film?’. When I said ‘yes’, he replied, ‘Come to my room.’ He didn’t bother asking my name or who I am. I was shocked. I didn’t know what kind of gesture it was. That night, I went to my room and slept.”
Next day onwards, trouble began. Vichitra said "The shot wouldn’t happen on time. There were a lot of problems on the sets. After six, everyone got drunk and started knocking on my doors. I still remember the banging of the doors. I told the reception not to connect any calls and leave me alone. I wanted to do my work and leave. But that didn’t happen. The issues kept cropping up."
"He was not even a friend then, but he knew what was happening and asked me how he could be of help. I told him I want to change the room and no one should know where I am. So throughout the schedule he managed to shift me to different rooms. I would be in the room opposite to my previous room and I would still hear the banging there. It was not just one person. There would be multiple people. I felt bad about myself.”She added.
However, things got worse as the men wanted to teach her a lesson. Later, the next day, during a shoot involving a riot scene in a village, Vichitra was touched inappropriately. When it happened for the third time, she dragged the man to the stunt master to complain who in turn slapped her.
"The stunt master removed my hand and gave me a tight slap. I was stunned. I looked around to see if someone came out to my help. No one did. I walked out of the set. I was filled with fear, anger, and embarrassment.”
Vichitra even contacted the actor's union in Chennai but was asked to return from the sets and wrote a complaint. Despite everything no one helped and she was asked to go to the police.
Vichitra then broke down saying, "Nothing happened. I didn’t know if I can continue to act. I was worried if my family can survive. Why this cine field? Not even one guy turned up to help me. Maybe, everyone thought I deserved it because it is a normal thing in my life. I don’t know. The president of the Sangam told me to forget all that and go back to work. I can’t forget that till date. Then my husband (the hotel manager) was helping me with the investigation. He asked me one thing, ‘Is this what you are working for? If you don’t have dignity at a place, why be there?’ It felt like a slap. I thought film industry was my family. I realised it wasn’t. I wanted to find my family. That’s when I quit the film. Then I went into a shell. My husband wanted to marry me. He has given me a dignified life and three sons.”
Earlier, Vichitra asked her fellow contestant Akshaya to report such issues without delay.
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