Neha Maheshwri (BOMBAY TIMES; November 22, 2019)

While there have been speculations about whether Anu Malik will continue as a judge in the ongoing season of Indian Idol, BT has it that the composer-singer has voluntarily decided to step down. Recently, singer Sona Mohapatra had penned an open letter on social media against him. Neha Bhasin, too, accused him of sexual misconduct in the past.

This is the second time that he is stepping down from the show. Last year, too, Anu had exited the show midway, following #MeToo allegations against him.

Talking to BT, Anu confirmed, “I have taken this decision voluntarily. I want to take a three-week break from the show and get back to it only after I have cleared my name. While the channel has been supportive, it’s solely my decision to take this break.” He added, “All I want to say is that before jumping to a conclusion, it’s important to hear the other side as well.”

The composer said that he has written a letter to the Music Composers Association of India (MCAI) regarding his stand on the issue. “I have requested them to forward my letter to the Singers Association of India (SAI), asking them to come and explain themselves,” he said.
------------------------

MUMBAI MIRROR (November 22, 2019)

Composer Anu Malik has stepped down as judge from the ongoing season 11 of Indian Idol, after the growing outcry against him over allegations of sexual harassment levelled by singer Sona Mohapatra. On Thursday, a source from the channel, Sony TV, confirmed the news.

In 2018, Sona had, for the first time, called out Anu for alleged sexual misconduct. The composer was forced to step down from season 10 of the show last year. Singers Neha Bhasin and Shweta Pandit joined Sona in alleging sexual harassment against Anu.

When Anu was reinstated as judge this year, Sona publicly pulled up the music director and the channel. Over the past days, she has garnered huge support on social media, with demands for Anu’s removal from the show.

A few days ago, Anu tweeted, claiming “false and unverified allegations” were being levelled against him. He said that he was “in pain” and “in a dark space”, and demanded justice (See pic below).

Following Anu’s decision to quit the show, Sona said on Thursday, “Ever since Sony TV had decided to reinstate a multiple accused sexual offender as judge on TV, not just me but many good people of India have been shocked. A message was being put out that the safety of women and children does not matter to Sony TV. If the news is true, then it is truly the victory of good over evil, the legend of Maheshasura Mardini Durga vanquishing the demon lives on in India.”

She went on to state that multiple women have spoken up about Anu in the public domain. “It is sad and appalling that Sony took us all for granted and for so long. I believe this victory is for all of us to celebrate. The second wave of #MeToo is here and it’s #TimesUp. I hope that my letter to the minister for Women and Child Development, Smt. Smriti Irani was the final nail. She is someone whose tenacity and commitment to people’s welfare is admirable. It’s commendable to see her work. I also thank all the other women and men, and media who supported the campaign of #MoveOutMalik.
------------------------

Fresh wave of public outrage against #MeToo accused forces channel to drop singer from top-rated show
Shaheen Parkar, Sonia Lulla (MID-DAY; November 22, 2019)

Sony Entertainment had maintained a stoic silence when it reinstated Anu Malik as one of the judges on Indian Idol 11 in September this year. Not surprisingly, the channel continued to keep mum as the music composer, who has been accused of sexual harassment by several women — including Sona Mohapatra, Shweta Pandit and Neha Bhasin — stepped down from his role yesterday

A source reveals, "Anu Malik conveyed his decision to leave the show late afternoon. On Tuesday, he shot for the episodes, which will air this weekend. The channel is looking for a replacement."

While Malik's reinstatement earlier this year had sparked a widespread outrage, the channel had paid little heed to it. His decision to call it quits is being attributed to several reasons, one of them being Mohapatra's appeal to Union Women and Child Development (WCD) Minister Smriti Z Irani. When Irani stated that the government has begun listing sexual offenders in a digital database to help institutions do a data-check before hiring, Mohapatra tweeted to the minister, highlighting how Sony had continued to collaborate with Malik despite testimonies of multiple women accusing him of sexual harassment. The tweet caught the attention of National Commission of Women (NCW), which immediately shot a letter to the channel.

Speaking to mid-day, Mohapatra says, "In deciding to reinstate a multiple accused sexual offender as a judge on TV, the message that was being put out was that the safety and dignity of women does not matter. It was telling other perverts in society that they too can get away with such behaviour. But this victory is for all of us to celebrate. I believe my letter to Smriti Irani was the final nail."

Bhasin, who recently slammed Malik for his open letter where he labelled the allegations as "unverified", says it's appalling that the channel gave him a platform for so long. "I wouldn't give any credit to the channel because a lot of pressure had to be put for them to reach here. It takes courage to do the right thing, and people are afraid. The whole industry knows the truth about him, and yet everyone keeps quiet."

Pandit, who called out Malik last October, tells mid-day that they will carry on the fight to encourage other survivors. "I came to the industry to become a singer; I didn't need to face this. Many women endure it, and can't speak about it [for various reasons]. So if we're speaking, why do you want to shut us down?"

Tanushree Dutta, who brought the movement to India, sees this as a positive change. "Now, I believe #MeToo will have a deeper impact than it did last year."


(From left) Shweta Pandit, Neha Bhasin and Tanushree Dutta


Snapshot of Mohapatra's letter to Irani