Amaal Malik has said that he doesn’t consider uncle Anu Malik as a part of his immediate family. Amaal was asked to comment on the sexual harassment allegations made against his uncle, a veteran music director in Bollywood.
Amaal told BollywoodLife, “When it happened, it is obviously a little humiliating. But, more importantly, I would like to say that my family is first my four people. Beyond that, I don’t count anyone as a family. Unki apni family (he has his own family) hai and it was a tough time for them.”
Anu Malik was accused of sexual harassment by singers Sona Mohapatra and Shweta Pandit during the #MeToo movement that swept across Indian media industries late 2018. Pandit claimed that she was underage at the time of the assault.
“I went numb and pale in the face. I was only 15 years old then, still in school. Can anyone imagine what it felt like at that moment? It felt like someone had stabbed me in the stomach. I referred to this man as ‘Anu uncle’, he knew my entire family for decades,” she wrote in a post. Anu has denied the allegations.
Had to go back to my worst memory as a teenage girl today to write this and speak up - its now or never. This is my #MeToo and have to warn young girls about #AnuMalik & let you know your #TimesUp @IndiaMeToo
— Shweta Pandit (@ShwetaPandit7) October 17, 2018
Thank you @sonamohapatra for speaking up about him & supporting this pic.twitter.com/e261pGQyEq
Amaal said in the interview that he was friends with Sona. “I’m close to Sona Mohapatra, if she has said about Anu Malik there must be a reason. And if there is a reason they should move to the court,” he said.
