"I’ve been subjected to unfair treatment."
Priya Ahuja has spoken about being mistreated on Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah.
The actress, who played Rita the reporter on the long-running sitcom, claimed the stars go through mental harassment and also stated that those making allegations against producer Asit Modi “are not wrong”.
She explained: “Yes the artists have to go through mental harassment when they work on Taarak Mehta.
“It happens a lot… mentally I’ve also gone through difficulties while working there but it didn’t affect me much maybe because Malav, my husband who was the director of the show for 14 years, he was earning.
“One benefit I had of working there was since I didn’t have a contract I was never stopped from working outside.”
Speaking about how her recurring role was cut from the show, Priya Ahuja said:
“Asit Kumarr Modi bhai, Sohail Ramani or Jatin Bajaj, they never misbehaved with me.
“But as far as work is concerned I’ve been subjected to unfair treatment.
“After I got married to Malav, they reduced my track. It was no longer how it used to be. I’ve been clueless about my track in the show after pregnancy and when Malav left the show.
“I messaged Asit bhai so many times asking him about my track in the show but there has been no response.
“Sometimes he would comment ‘Why do you need to work when Malav is working’.
“I’m an individual and I did not get this show because I was Malav’s wife. I was a part of this show before I got married to Malav.
“I never got a proper response. Malav was shooting and I was also working on some or the other thing it wasn’t affecting me financially, so I never bothered to speak.
“So, now the people who are coming out and speaking like Monika Bhadoriya they are not wrong I feel.”
“Because they never respected me to at least reply to my messages and queries.
“You did not call me for shoot for nine months because your relationship with Malav ended and you threw me away like an insect.”
The allegations come after Jennifer Mistry accused the show’s makers of sexual harassment.
She claimed Asit made sexual advances towards her.
Responding to the allegations made by Jennifer, the makers denied them and said they would be taking legal action against her.
Project Head Sohail said: “We have ignored her characteristics such as creating rifts among others, coming two hours late for shoot, creating misunderstandings.
“We have a lot of evidence against her. We have a committee of women, why did she never complain to the committee? All of us have never even entered a female artist’s makeup room. She is playing the woman card.”
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