In a recent interview, actress Priya Ahuja, who portrayed the well-known Rita Reporter on Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah, blasted the producers for their "unfair" treatment of the actors and for creating a hostile work atmosphere.
Days after Jennifer Mistry of Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah claimed that producer Asit Modi had harassed her sexually, another actor from the show has come forward to make similar claims. Priya Ahuja, who plays the show's Rita reporter, claimed in a recent interview that she experienced mental harassment on the set and believes that those speaking out "are not wrong."
Priya was questioned regarding the current drama surrounding the program. In response, she said, “Yes the artists have to go through mental harassment when they work on Taarak Mehta. Kaafi hota hai (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.”
The actor, who has been a part of the program since the beginning, hasn't appeared in recent episodes. Priya said that she was dropped from the comedy series abruptly. Priya, who spent 14 years married to the show's director Malav Rajda, spoke candidly about the workplace in an interview with Times of India.
She continued by describing how her character was dropped from the show. “Asit Kumarr Modi bhai, Sohil Ramani or Jatin Bajaj, they never misbehaved with me. But as far 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 ‘Arre tujhe kaam karne ki kya zarurat hai Malav is working na (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. Mujhe aap ne 9 months se show par nahi bulaya (You did not call me for shoot for nine months) because your relationship with Malav ended and aapne uske baad mujhe makkhi ki tarah nikal ke phek diya (you threw me away like an insect).”
Even when her husband left the show, the performer stated she didn't know where she stood. Priya claimed that despite contacting the producers for clarification, she received no answer. The actor also remembered Asit Modi, the show's producer, making sexist remarks.
Recently, Jennifer Mistry said that Asit Modi, a producer, had repeatedly flirted with her and "made sexual advances" to her. In addition, she criticized Mandar Chandwadkar, who plays Atmaram Tukaram Bhide on the program, for siding with Asit.
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