Neha Maheshwri (BOMBAY TIMES; October 21, 2018)

A day after sharing his experience of being sexually harassed by writer Mushtaq Shiekh on his social media account, TV actor Rahul Raj Singh (late Pratyusha Banerjee’s boyfriend) now plans to register an official complaint against Mushtaq with the writers’ association. Talking about the incident, which happened between 2006 and 2007, Rahul shared, “I first met Mushtaq in 2006, when I decided to pursue films after modelling. He was a known writer and was well-connected in the Bollywood and TV industry. I would meet people like him, hoping to get a foothold in the industry. I was supposed to do a couple of projects with him, but unfortunately, he was expecting something else in return. He told me, ‘I have thought about you for one project and want to cast you in it. Meet me after office hours and we will discuss the project’. However, I found his body language suspicious when I met him. I didn’t want to judge him by his sexual preferences and emotions. But after a couple of meetings, he started calling me up late at night. I would still take his call, because I was a newcomer and didn’t have any godfather in the industry. He would often tell me how things worked in the film industry and what people did to get work here. One night he asked me to meet him at 11 pm at a coffee shop in Bandra. Later, he took me to his house and told me that I am going to do something to you, which you are going to enjoy. It will be different, but you will like it. I got scared and told him that he was a friend and that I know his family. I left and eventually lost the film. Then, he stopped taking my calls and would only text me. I didn’t want to lose the film, but I realised that he wanted to only have sex with me. It wasn’t direct; it’s not like he pounced on me, but he would try to come close to me. It was pretty much like, if I didn’t surrender, I wouldn’t get work.”

Rahul further shared, “I couldn’t take it for long and I gave up on my filmi dreams after doing one film, which unfortunately didn’t do well. Then I decided to try my luck in television. I bagged my first show Amber Dhara, which was conceptualised by Mushtaq. While I was under the impression that I got the show for my talent, after meeting him, he told me that I bagged the role because of him. Unfortunately, the show didn’t run for long. I bagged another show, titled Mata Ki Chowki with the same production house, for a channel Mushtaq was then heading. He extended his offer once again to me (to sleep with him) if I wanted to keep my job, but I refused. Somehow, after that, my character fizzled out of the show. For another show titled Ganesh Leela, I had to deal with him again, as it was for the same channel. He called me to meet him at night and told me to come for a drive. We were driving around Aarey Milk Colony, when he suddenly grabbed my head towards him and started unbuttoning my clothes. I got very angry and upset, and told him that I would stop the car and leave him in the middle of the jungle. It was a tough ride back, and after I refused his advances, he made sure that I was out of work. Eventually, I quit TV because I didn’t want to compromise. My career on TV was cut short because one man got the lust and power equation wrong.”

Talking about why he has spoken about this now, Rahul said, “I didn’t speak about it back then, because we didn’t have social media where we could voice it. Also, I thought no one would believe me because he was well-connected. I don’t want him to be punished nor do I intend to file a police complaint. I want him to feel ashamed about what he has done. I hope more guys like me, who have been sexually harassed, join the #MeToo movement. This will discourage those who misuse their power.”

Rahul, who has approached the writers’ association, said, “I have written to the association and will file an official complaint soon.”

We tried to get in touch with Mushtaq Shiekh for his version, but he did not respond to our calls and messages till the time of going to press.

Television actor files complaint saying screen writer Mushtaq Shiekh molested him on several occasions, promising him roles in return
Faizan Khan (MID-DAY; October 20, 2018)

After helping scores of women to call out sexual predators, the #MeToo movement has now given courage to the first male survivor to speak out against sexual harassment in the film and television industry. Actor Rahul Raj Singh has accused screenwriter and producer Mushtaq Shiekh of making repeated sexual advances towards him, and eventually ruining his career upon being rejected.

Rahul was last in the news when he was arrested on charges of abetting the suicide of his actor girlfriend, Pratyusha Banerjee (of the Balika Vadhu fame), amid allegations that he had been an abusive partner. He is currently out on bail. “I have been an actor for the past 10 years, and have now been inspired by the women in our acting, film and TV fraternity to come out with my story of harassment by Mushtaq Shiekh,” he told the media.

Rahul met Mushtaq sometime in 2006, he said, when he was a model looking to break into acting. “I was the Grasim Mr India model in 2004, when I was 19 years old. A couple of years later, I came in contact with Mushtaq Shiekh. Mushtaq was a very powerful person in Bollywood then. [He was] someone who was on first name basis with Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Farah Khan and Ekta Kapoor. He seemed to be impressed with me. I was glad because I realised I would get work,” he recalled.

“He told me, ‘I have thought about you for one project and want to cast you in it. Meet me after office hours and we will discuss the project’. I did not want to judge him on his sexual preferences, but after the second and third meeting, he started calling me late at night, around 3 or 4 am,” said Rahul.

Each time he lost his job
He added that initially he would take the calls because he was a newcomer in need of a godfather in the industry. “He was associated with Mukta Arts at the time, and he showed me a Korean film which he said he would remake in Bollywood, casting me. But one night, he called me at 11 pm near his house. I had already been introduced to his sister Najma and his other married sister. He took me to his house, which had a single room, a bed and a lot of film posters. He told me, ‘I am going to do something to you which you are going to enjoy. It will be different, but you will like it’. I got scared,” Rahul recounted.

He added, “I told him, ‘I know your family. I am not against your preferences, but I am your friend and every relationship is not about sex’. He said, ‘Don’t worry, next time you will be ready’. I left, and lost the film at Mukta Arts.”

Mushtaq came back to haunt Rahul when he turned to television work. “I was chosen for a TV serial called Amber Dhara. I was popular as the first blind hero on national television. Then I got a call from Mushtaq, telling me that he was the one who had chosen me for the role. That destroyed my confidence and self-belief. Then I was signed up for another show called Mata Ki Chowki [also associated with Mushtaq]. He extended his offer again, that I could sleep with him to keep my job, but I refused. My character was written out of the show soon,” said Rahul.

‘He grabbed my head’
He added, “During another show called Ganesh Leela, Mushtaq’s roving eye caught me again. He told me to meet him at night for a drive. We were on a drive in Aarey Milk Colony when he suddenly grabbed my head [towards him] and started unbuttoning me [Rahul’s clothes]. I got very angry and upset, and told him that I would stop the car and leave him in the middle of the jungle.”

“I used to earn around Rs 3-4 lakh per month in those days. I owe answers to my friends and fans as to why I quit TV. It was because of Mushtaq Shiekh. I told my parents the same thing 10 years ago: I can’t do this, because I will be forced to sleep with someone,” said the Amber Dhara actor, adding, “I told my mother that I wanted to tell the world my story now. I had been reluctant earlier because my male friends told me, ‘Tu mard hain, aise kaise bol sakta hai’. My mother told me that a real man tells the truth and faces the consequences.”

Producer friend says
He said his friend and former roommate Asif Ali, now a film producer, had witnessed his trauma over the years. mid-day reached out to Asif, who said, “When we were roommates, I asked Rahul why he wasn’t getting good projects. He told me about the harassment and demands for sexual favours. I read a few of their chats, but I don’t remember their [culprit’s] names.” Despite repeated attempts to contact Mushtaq, he did not respond to mid-day’s queries.

Complaint to follow Rahul claimed that he has already notified Javed Akhtar — Film Writers Association committee member and writer-lyricist — about the abuse via WhatsApp, and will follow it up with a written complaint to the organisation.