Indian Idol host Aditya Narayan defends Anu Malik's return: 'I do not know every single aspect of his life'
Aditya Narayan also says Anu Malik has always been nice to him on Indian Idol sets and otherwise.
Anu Malik, who was accused of sexual misconduct during the MeToo movement in India, has now returned to Indian Idol as a judge. Host Aditya Narayan has spoken up on the issue to Indo Asian News Service, stating if a person has not been legally convicted of a crime, then it is not feasible for them to sit at home idle.
After the allegations surfaced, Malik was removed from the judges' panel last year. But with the new season, he has been reinstated in the jury. Speaking on the matter, Aditya chips in, "Anuji is one of the most loved and respected musicians. In fact, I owe a lot to him because I sang my first ever Bollywood song for him for Akele Hum Akele Tum movie. I have immense respect for him but honestly, you really don't know anyone completely. You don't know anyone from head to toe even if you have been with them. You don't know every single aspect of their life. There is no point for me on commenting on Anuji and his life."
Anu Malik. Facebook
Narayan adds Malik has always been cordial with him, and these allegations have surfaced from the opposite gender. He further states when someone has not been legally incriminated, it is unfair to shun the person away, and stop them from taking up professional projects.
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Malik was accused by a fellow singer who termed him as a pedophile, further stating he had asked her for a kiss when she was just 15 years old. Following the singer's statement, there were several others who opened up about instances of harassment faced due to Malik.
Ironically, Malik's presence on the reality music competition has been constant. He has been part of the judges' panel since season 1.
When questioned about the sexual harassment allegations against him, Malik told Press Trust of India, "No comments. This is ridiculous. I don’t want to talk about it. Today, anyone says anything."
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