Shilpa Shinde revisited the alleged fake MMS controversy and explained why she filed a sexual harassment complaint, claiming she endured relentless bullying after leaving 'Bhabiji Ghar Par Hain'.
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Add BollywoodShaadis on GoogleShilpa Shinde has once again opened up about one of the darkest chapters of her career. During the latest episode of Netflix's Lock Upp: Sach Ya Sazaa, the actress, 48, revisited the alleged fake MMS controversy that broke out after her exit from Bhabiji Ghar Par Hain. Shinde has also shared why she eventually filed a sexual harassment complaint against the hit sitcom's producer, Sanjay Kohli.
On the latest episode of Lock Upp 2, speaking to fellow contestant Varun Yadav, Shilpa Shinde claimed she was subjected to relentless harassment after she "was ousted" from the popular show in 2015-16. The actress alleged that the pressure became so intense that it eventually pushed her into taking legal action against the makers.
Shortly after her exit, Shilpa recalled a reporter sending her a video claiming it was an MMS featuring her. "I asked: ‘What is this?’ She said, ‘It’s your video.’ I was like, ‘My video?’ She replied, ‘Open it and see.'”
The actress went on to say how she kept "wondering if it had been recorded in my changing room or somewhere else" while the video was downloading, and her blood had run cold. However, after watching the clip, she realized it was not her.
According to the actress, the footage was an adult video that had been manipulated using blurred freeze frames to resemble her. In response, she immediately approached the cyber cell, where she spent nearly six to seven hours investigating the source. "It was just a clip from a Hindi adult site. They took freeze frames where the girl looked like me, blurred them and spread it everywhere saying 'Bhabhiji's MMS is out,'" she alleged.
The actress added that the controversy affected not just her but also her family. She recalled the toll it took on her mother and herself, she recalled, "My mother was asked whether her daughter's MMS had leaked. Even our society's watchman questioned her. How do you even answer something like that?"
Further into the emotional conversation, the actress reflected on the aftermath of her exit from Bhabiji Ghar Par Hain. Shilpa claimed the harassment didn't end at the alleged MMS controversy, but it continued long after the fallout. She shared:
"I exited Bhabiji Ghar Par Hain, and then someone even threatened to release that fake MMS. After I got it removed through cybercrime authorities, they filed a criminal case against me. I had to secure bail before entering Bigg Boss 11. They bullied me frequently. That's why I also had to file complaints against them."
Shilpa's fresh remarks come just months after she stirred controversy by admitting on Bharti Singh's podcast that the sexual harassment allegation she had earlier made against Bhabiji Ghar Par Hain producer Sanjay Kohli was actually false. While she faced severe backlash online after that podcast, her new claims seem to clear the air further. Speaking on Lock Upp 2, Shilpa suggested that the complaint came amid the alleged harassment she kept facing for a prolonged period after leaving the show.
Shilpa played the beloved character of 'Angoori Bhabi' in the popular sitcom, Bhabiji Ghar Par Hain, but she abruptly quit in 2016 following disputes over an exclusive contract and pending payments. With time, the disagreement escalated into explosive legal battles, including contractual disputes and her sexual harassment complaint against producer Sanjay Kohli.
The matter was eventually settled out of court. According to Shilpa, the show's producers Benaifer Kohli and Sanjay Kohli later contacted her after her podcast appearance and thanked her for "speaking the truth." Now, by revisiting the episode on national television, she has offered her perspective on the events that followed her controversial exit, claiming the alleged fake MMS, legal cases and public scrutiny left a lasting impact on her personal and professional life.
What are your thoughts on Shilpa Shinde's new revelations about some of the darkest episodes of her life?
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