Wasn't forced into prostitution, journalist made up my statement, says Shweta Basu Prasad

[email protected] (Mangaluru)
November 4, 2014

Shweta Basu PrasadMumbai, Nov 4: Actress Shweta Basu Prasad spoke to the media after being released from the rescue home on 31 October and told them that she had never issued any statement after her arrest and it is a journalist who had concocted those "utter lies" during her "hour of crisis".

India Today quoted Shweta Basu Prasad saying, " I've no complaints against anyone except the journalist who during my hour of crisis made up a statement attributed to me."

"That statement was circulated everywhere. I had no idea about it as I had no access to newspapers or websites for two months." she added.

The actress was arrested in September by the Hyderabad police on charges of prostitution. Reportedly, she was "caught in a compromising position" when the cops raided a famous hotel at the upscale Banjara Hills in the city. Following the arrest she was kept at a rescue home from where she was released on 31 October after a sessions court in Nampllay ordered to release her and allowed her to stay with her family.

Speaking to media, the actress said that the police had asked for names of other actresses involved in prostitution rackets. However, Prasad didn't give out any names. NDTV quotes Prasad as saying, "I didn't even know many of their names. Why should I make comments on other actresses? Shame on the people who said I was forced to do certain things by my family to afford a lifestyle."

In an interview to DNA, she even said that she and her family is trying to track the journalist who floated the quote down and they plan to sue him/her.

She said that she was hardly depressed and had spend the two months in the rehabilitation home with victims of trafficking 'productively'. She said that she volunteered as a teacher for Hindi, English and Hindustani classical music.

The actor said, "But I am completely unaffected by the entire episode. I now see how futile and unnecessary it was. I am glad to be alive and kicking and raring to go. Life looks beautiful and hopeful."

She also denied that she flew to Hyderabad as a part of the sex racket. "I hadn't been called to Hyderabad by any agent for commercial sex. I had gone to there to attend an awards ceremony," she told the media. However, she didn't deny her involvement in the sex incident though she insisted that the media got the details wrong.

The actress had reportedly issued a statement after that, which she now denies making. In the alleged statement, the actress was quoted saying "I have made wrong choices in my career, and I was out of money. I had to support my family and some other good causes. All the doors were closed, and some people encouraged me to get into prostitution to earn money. I was helpless, and with no option left to choose, I got involved in this act. I'm not the only one who faced this problem, and there are several other heroines who have gone through this phase."

Basu rose to fame as a child star with her film Makdee that won her a National Award, she also played the role of Sreyas Talpade's sister in the film Iqbal. She later went on to act in several television shows including Ekta Kapoor's Kahani Ghar Ghar Ki and Karishma Kaa Karishma. She is currently working in the Telugu film industry.

India Today had earlier reported that "The police said they have also arrested several well-known businessmen along with the actor. The actor underwent a medical test before being lodged in a rescue home run by the Woman and Child Welfare department. She is likely to stay there for three months."

However, while Basu's name was made public by the police sources, her high profile clients' names has been kept a secret.

Also Read:

Shocking: Tollywood actress, star kid of Bollywood movie Makdee, caught in prostitution racket

Caught in a sex racket, Shweta Basu Prasad allows to go home

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News Network
June 6,2020

Indore, Jun 6: An FIR has been registered against television producer Ekta Kapoor and two others here in Madhya Pradesh on charges of spreading obscenity, hurting religious feelings, and improper use of national emblems in her web show 'Triple X season 2', police said on Saturday.

The FIR also mentions about a particular scene which allegedly portrays the Indian Army's uniform in a highly objectionable way, an officer said.

Besides Kapoor, the FIR names director of the web series Pankhudi Rodrigues and screenwriter Jessica Khurana, said Annapurna police station inspector Satish Kumar Dwivedi.

The complaint was lodged on Friday night by Valmik Sakaragaye and Neeraj Yagnik, both residents of Indore.

"Ekta Kapoor's OTT platform ALTBalaji streamed (erotic) web series 'Triple X season 2' which not only spread obscenity but also hurt religious feelings of a particular community," Dwivedi said quoting the complaint.

A scene in the web show portrayed the Indian Army's uniform in a highly objectionable manner and also disrespected the national emblems, he said.

Kapoor and others have been booked under sections 294 (obscene acts and songs) and 298 (Uttering, words, etc., with deliberate intent to wound the religious feelings of any person) of the Indian Penal Code, Information Technology (IT) Act, and the State Emblem of India (Prohibition of Improper Use) Act, 2005, Dwivedi said.

Mumbai-based Ekta Kapoor is the founder of ALTBalaji, which is owned by her production house, Balaji Telefilms.

Further investigation is underway, the police officer said.

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News Network
January 9,2020

Los Angeles, Jan 9: Actors Salma Hayek and Tiffany Haddish are hopeful about the future for women in Hollywood and now cinema is making films about women because the audience was "neglected".

The duo along with Rose Byrne star in Like a Boss, a comedy directed by Miguel Arteta, which follows best friends Mia and Mel (Haddish and Byrne) who join forces to run their own boutique cosmetics company.

When the prospect of a big buyout offer from a notorious titan of the beauty industry (Hayek) tempts them, their lifelong bond - and their business - is put in jeopardy.

Hayek said she is happy with the increase in female-driven films in Hollywood.

"We're on the right path. And we're not going to stop," the actor told Variety.

"What I can tell you is that a lot more women are directing and acting and writing and producing. And there are a lot more movies made about women and for women because the audience was neglected, she said.

She was speaking at the premiere of the film in New York.

Haddish added that the mantle for change shouldn't be left to the traditional decision-makers.

To get things, one has to sometimes make noise, the actor-author said.

"It's about us putting in the work and creating the projects and creating the opportunities in order to do those things to make it better. I sit back and I listen to people talk sometimes, saying, 'They're not letting us; they're not giving it to us.' Why do we have to ask permission? Why can't we just start putting it together? If they want to come on board with it, come on board. And if not, oh well," Haddish said.

"I'm about creating an opportunity. People say I'm loud and obnoxious, but sometimes it’s the squeaky wheel that gets the oil and gets things done," she added.

The comedy comes on the heels of a year gone by in cinema that featured female protagonists in films like Little Women and Captain Marvel.

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News Network
February 24,2020

New Delhi, Feb 24: Indian Idol 11 winner is Bhatinda's Sunny Hindustani. Sunny, who mostly sang Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan's songs on the show, won the coveted trophy. The Bhatinda boy took home the Indian Idol 11 trophy along with the prize money of Rs 25 lakh, a car and a singing contract with T-Series.

Sunny's entry on the show was much-talked-about. His soul-soothing voice had mesmerised the judges on the audition day itself as he sang Afreen Afreen. He got a standing ovation and former Indian Idol 11 judge Anu Malik even said that he felt as if Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan himself was performing on the Indian Idol stage. His audition video had gone viral after Anand Mahindra shared it on social media.

On the finale night, Sunny sang a medley of songs, which included Mere Rashke Qamar and Halka Halka Suroor. Ayushmann got emotional seeing Sunny's journey on screen. He said, "Hum na actor bade self-obsessed hote hain. Humein lagta hai hamari struggle sabse achchi hai, sabse badi hai. Inke saamne toh kuch hai he nahi. Jahaan se aye hai, jitna hunar inke paas hai...mujhe lagta hai inki maa sabse ameer hain."

The first and second runner-up of the show Rohit Raut and Ankona Mukherjee got Rs 5 lakh each, while Ridham Kalyan and Adriz Ghosh who were fourth and fifth on the show, took Rs 3 lakh home. Every finalist also received Rs 1 lakh cheque from Lotus Herbals and gift hampers from the sponsors.

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