Open secret

Jasmine Singh

In a recent incident, singer Mika Singh was accused of sending obscene pictures to Brazilian teenage model in Abu Dhabi. He was arrested after the 17-year-old model lodged a complaint against him. Mika was later released following the intervention of the Indian Embassy. 

However, this is not the first instance where a renowned artiste has been accused of harassing a female. Closer home, in the Punjabi entertainment industry, similar instances are almost a daily occurrence but they obviously go unreported. 

Speak up

Punjabi actress Priya Lakhanpal, who will be seen in an upcoming movie Blackiya starring actor Dev Kharoud, had filed an FIR in 2017 against a Punjabi film producer who used lewd words in one of the meetings. “Mika’s incidence doesn’t come as a surprise to me. What makes you think such incidents do not take place in the Punjabi film and music industry? Here, 95 per cent of the girls (wannabe models, actresses and even well-known ones) keep mum because they fear losing work.” But at the same time Priya criticises female artistes and models for not objecting such untoward situations. “Being an artiste from the Punjabi film industry I have no qualms in saying that girls are ready to compromise for work, and when they do not get it, they raise a hue and cry.”

Although Mika was released soon, sources close to him say that the popular Bollywood singer is completely innocent. “This girl from Brazil is actually Mika’s close friend; it was a baseless accusation.”  

Unprofessional approach

Baseless or not, popular names of male singer-actors and producers from the Punjabi entertainment industry have earlier been accused of rape and molestation. Popular Punjabi singer Nachhtar Gill was arrested last year for allegedly raping a woman on the pretext of marriage. Yet another Punjabi singer Surinder Mann, also known as Surinder Shonki, was booked for allegedly raping a minor niece of his co-singer two months back. Shonki has been booked under Sections 363 (kidnapping), 366 A (procuration of minor girl) and 376 (rape) of the IPC and Sections 3/4 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

Sapan Manchanda, director, Fivewood Media, and the man behind the Pollywood directory, shares how difficult it is to generalise the situation, “It is simple, jo fadeya gya oh chor, nahi tan saadh (one who is caught is thief, else he is a saint). It would be wrong to say that the entire Punjabi entertainment industry is bad or manipulative, yes there are some artistes who manipulate others.” Sapan doesn’t pin point on any particular department (actors, singers, producer or directors) however. “Much of this problem has risen due to unprofessional people (fake financers, who are not the real producers) who are lured because of glamour. You will see some 20-30 films that are announced but eventually they do not see the light of the day. The people behind these films give the actresses a cheque of Rs 1-2 lakh and then hang around with these actresses calling it a part of work.” 

Face the music

For some, this might come as a revelation, but for the industry insiders, there is nothing new in it. Although there has been an increase in the number of molestation or rape cases being reported, female artistes in the industry still fear coming out in the open. Punjabi model and actress Poonam Sood, who was seen in Punjabi movie Wandd and will also be seen in Munda Faridkotia, shares how she stopped getting work in the industry after she complained about a Punjabi movie choreographer who misbehaved with her. “Why do you think I am not getting work? It is because I am asked to comprise, which of course I wouldn’t, so I have to be satisfied with character roles.”

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