Mumbai / Anu Malik lay down on sofa, talked about my eyes when I was 21: Neha Bhasin

Singer Neha Bhasin has revealed how music composer Anu Malik, who was called out by multiple women during India’s #MeToo movement, made her uncomfortable during their meeting many years ago. She made shared the account in a reply to singer Sona Mohapatra’s string of tweets criticising the composer and Sony TV for hiring him back as the judge of Indian Idol after firing him last year during the #MeToo Movement.

“I agee with you. We do live in a very sexist world. Anu Malik is a predator, i too have run away from his strange moves when i was 21. I didn’t let myself get into a sticky situation beyond him lying on a sofa in front of me talking about my eyes in a studio. I fled lying my mums waiting below. He even msgd and called me after that to which i stopped responding. The point is i went to give him my cd and hope for a chance at a song. He was older and shouldnt have behaved the way he did. @The_AnuMalik is an ugly pervert and i am apalled he is back on tv, its alalling how our industry or our nation is not as forgiving to its women. @SonyTV I dont care for the consequences. The truth is the truth how many ever times they may get away with it,” she wrote.

Sona had replied to cricket star Sachin Tendulkar’s tweets praising the contestants on Indian Idol. Sachin had tweeted: “Really touched by the soulful singing & life-stories of these talented youngsters on Indian Idol. Rahul, Chelsi, Diwas and Sunny come from different parts of the country but have the same passion & dedication for music despite all odds. I’m sure they’ll go a long way.” Sona replied, “Dear Sachin, Are you aware of all the @IndiaMeToo stories of multiple women, some minors who came forward in the public domain about Anu Malik, the judge in this same Indian Idol show last year including their own ex producer? Does their trauma not matter or touch anyone?”

Sona also reminded her followers how Sonu Nigam had attacked her for calling out his friend. “Sonu Nigam championed the cause of Anu Malik publicly & his right to be earning millions on nationalTV while saying he’s his mothers son etc to justify his understanding of @IndiaMeToo. Had called Ram Sampath to ‘keep me in check’ while calling me a ‘terrorist’.Must be happy now,” she wrote. “It takes only a Nirbhaya level tragedy for #India to wake up? Few days after these, I was asked to leave my judge seat. My co-judge told me,the publicity I provided to Anu Malik took up the trps of our ‘rival’ show. (?!) A year later,a sexual predator is back on the same seat,” she added.

When a Twitter user asked her what is the connection between Sachin’s praise for the contestants and Anu Malik’s accusations, she wrote, “Yes, the context is actually missing, for U. A powerful conglomerate like Sony TV is trying to divert the shameful reinstating of a multiple accused sexual offender, Anu Malik as a judge on #IndianIdol by publicising @sachin_rt & @anandmahindra‘s praise & riding on their goodwill.”

Anu was removed from the jury panel of Indian Idol after being accused of sexual misconduct last year. Now he has been rehired as one of the judges of the 11th season of the singing-based reality TV show. Several Twitter users had also criticised Sony TV for airing an incident on the new season when co-judge Neha Kakkar was forcibly kissed by a man on the show.