Amid row over Anu Malik being rehired as Indian Idol judge, Neha Bhasin tweets of uncomfortable experience with composer

Singer Neha Bhasin has said that early on in her career, she had an uncomfortable experience with music composer Anu Malik, who was named in allegations by multiple women during the #MeToo movement last year. Bhasin tweeted her allegation in reply to singer Sona Mohapatra’s string of tweets criticising the composer and Sony TV for hiring him back as the judge of Indian Idol. Malik had been removed from the show after the allegations against him surfaced during the #MeToo movement.

“I agree with you. We do live in a very sexist world. Anu Malik is a predator, I too have run away from his strange moves when I was 21," Bhasin wrote on Twitter.

I agee with you. We do live in a very sexist world. Anu Malik is a predetor, i too have run away from his strange moves when i was 21. I didn't let myself get into a sticky situation beyond him lying on a sofa in front of me talking about my eyes in a studio. I fleed lying https://t.co/tQgStLrYyT

— Neha Bhasin (@nehabhasin4u) October 30, 2019

I fleed lying my mums waiting below. He even msgd and called me after that to which i stopped responding. The point is i went to give him my cd and hope for a chance at a song. He was older and shouldnt have behaved the way he did. @The_AnuMalik is an ugly pervert and does not https://t.co/tQgStLrYyT — Neha Bhasin (@nehabhasin4u) October 30, 2019

Mohapatra had listed the allegations of sexual misconduct directed at Malik.

Dear India,media @SonyPictures , @nehabhasin4u was all of 21, @ShwetaPandit7 was 15 when he tried kissing her,his family doctors daughter was 14 when he unzipped, countless other women shared their @IndiaMeToo stories about Anu Malik,including Danice D’Souza, #IndianIdol Producer https://t.co/D96ejmTjJ3

— ShutUpSona (@sonamohapatra) October 31, 2019

Mohapatra also reminded her followers of how singer Sonu Nigam had 'championed the cause of Anu Malik publicly'. She stated that Nigam had called her husband, music director Ram Sampath, to ‘keep her in check’.

Sonu Nigam championed the cause of Anu Malik publicly & his right to be earning millions on nationalTV while saying he’s his mothers son etc to justify his understanding of @IndiaMeToo . Had called Ram Sampath to ‘keep me in check’ while calling me a ‘terrorist’.Must be happy now https://t.co/6dPdbU8zQg — ShutUpSona (@sonamohapatra) October 30, 2019

During the pinnacle of #MeToo movement in India, Mohapatra, had named Malik as a "sexual predator" in a statement given to Firstpost. Shweta Pandit, who debuted in the Hindi film industry as a playback singer with Mohabbatein, said that Anu Malik told her he would give Pandit a song with Sunidhi and Shaan, if she kissed him.

Malik has repeatedly denied all the allegations. His lawyer told Press Trust of India at the time that the #MeToo movement was being used for his client's "character assassination". Following the allegations, the music composer stepped down as a jury member from Indian Idol, a singing reality show of which he was part since its inception in 2004. However, he has been rehired as one of the judges for the 11th season of the singing-based reality TV show.