"I’m not surprised to see him back in the spotlight."
Mandana Karimi has quit Bollywood over Sajid Khan’s entry in Bigg Boss 16, stating there is no respect for women in the industry.
The filmmaker was welcomed on Bigg Boss 16 as a contestant despite the numerous sexual harassment allegations against him.
Among the women who made accusations, one of them was Mandana Karimi.
She claimed that Sajid Khan asked her to take off her clothes when she went to meet him for Humshakals.
He allegedly told her: “If I like what I see, you might get the part.”
Now, Mandana has said she is not surprised that he is back in the spotlight without any repercussions.
Mandana said: “To be honest, I’m not surprised to see him back in the spotlight.
“For people, life has become like I will put my head under the sand. If it is going to benefit me, and I can make money, then who cares?
“That shows why the MeToo movement in India and many other countries didn’t really reach anywhere.
“It was just a few women, they came, they spoke and that was it.
“What is the action? Who is boycotting these people?
“Nothing is going to happen. Because we are talking about the bigger industry, which is a place where someone is someone’s mom, boyfriend, girlfriend or husband.
“It’s like you, you scratch my back, and I will scratch your back.”
Seeing Sajid Khan on Bigg Boss 16 upsets Mandana but she is not surprised, adding that she no longer wants to work in Bollywood.
“It does make me feel sad. To be honest, that is also the reason I have not worked for the last seven months.
“I’m not working anymore. I didn’t go to any auditions.
“I don’t want to work in Bollywood. I don’t want to be involved with an industry where there is no respect for women.”
Mandana Karimi was last seen in Lock Upp and she revealed that she still has not been fully paid for her participation on the reality show.
“I’m still fighting for my money. My full payment hasn’t come, the show was over five months back.
“I am still waiting to know why they aren’t clearing my dues.”
On what she plans to do after quitting Bollywood, Mandana admitted that she does not know.
She added: “Because being a woman, it’s not easy.
“I need to see what makes me happy because life is too short to compromise for anyone.
“There are people who agree to compromise and keep their mouth shut, or not talk about the things happening around, thinking what difference will one person make.
“That is the main problem. Let’s see where my life takes me.”
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