Everyone knew what Anu Malik was like, says singer Caralisa Monteiro, sharing her own story
Shortly after he stepped down as judge on Indian Idol, singer Caralisa Monteiro has accused Anu Malik of sexual harassment, saying his behaviour was an open secret.
Nashe Si Chadh Gayi singer Caralisa Monteiro has shared her own story about being made to feel uncomfortable by Bollywood music director Anu Malik. She has said that everyone knew about the kind of person Malik was even before the multiple allegations of sexual misconduct levelled against him during the ongoing Indian #MeToo movement.
Singers such as Sona Mohapatra and Shweta Pandit, among several others, have accused Malik of sexual harassment, with Shweta alleging the incident happened when she was 15 years old. Malik has since stepped down from his post as judge on the popular singing reality show, Indian Idol.
Monteiro, speaking to Bombay Times, said, “I’ve had a specific incident with Anu Malik. I had to tell him that I only work in a studio. This happened almost 15 years ago when I was starting out. I never worked with him since.” Monteiro made it clear that she has never been abused in the industry because of the precautions she took.
“Anu Malik wanted me to come over to his place to jam with him. He was insistent that I came home as that’s how it was done. And I told him if you need me to sing a song, I’m a professional recording artiste, so I will meet you at the studio, take the brief and then track. So when I met him later, I went with my dear friend Clinton (Cerejo, singer), because I was uncomfortable going alone. Everyone knew the kind of individual Anu Malik was/is,” she continued.
Previously, allegations of misconduct against Malik began with singer Sona Mohapatra, who called him a ‘serial predator’ and also accused singer Kailash Kher of harassing her. This was followed by Shweta’s account, after which several anonymous women came forward with their stories.
Denying all claims, Anu Malik’s lawyer had said in a statement, “The allegations made against my client are emphatically denied as completely false and baseless. My client respects the #metoo movement but to use this movement to start a character assassination mission is obnoxious.”
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