'Mushtaq told me to sleep with him if I wanted to keep my job'

After helping scores of women to call out sexual predators the MeToo movement has now given courage to the first male survivor to speak out against sexual harassment in the film and television industry Actor Rahul Raj Singh has accused screenwriter and producer Mushtaq Shiekh of making repeated sexual advances towards him and eventually ruining his career upon being rejectedRahul was last in the news when he was arrested on charges of abetting the suicide of his actor girlfriend Pratyusha Banerjee of the Balika Vadhu fame amid allegations that he had been an abusive partner He is currently out on bailI have been an actor for the past 10 years and have now been inspired by the women in our acting film and TV fraternity to come out with my story of harassment by Mushtaq Shiekh he told the mediaRahul met Mushtaq sometime in 2006 he said when he was a model looking to break into acting I was the Grasim Mr India model in 2004 when I was 19 years old A couple of years later I came in contact with Mushtaq Shiekh Mushtaq was a very powerful person in Bollywood then He was someone who was on firstname basis with Shah Rukh Khan Salman Khan Farah Khan and Ekta Kapoor He seemed to be impressed with me I was glad because I realised I would get work he recalledHe told me I have thought about you for one project and want to cast you in it Meet me after office hours and we will discuss the project I did not want to judge him on his sexual preferences but after the second and third meeting he started calling me late at night around 3 or 4 am said RahulEach time he lost his jobHe added that initially he would take the calls because he was a newcomer in need of a godfather in the industry He was associated with Mukta Arts at the time and he showed me a Korean film which he said he would remake in Bollywood casting me But one night he called me at 11 pm near his house I had already been introduced to his sister Najma and his other married sister He took me to his house which had a single room a bed and a lot of film posters He told me I am going to do something to you which you are going to enjoy It will be different but you will like it I got scared Rahul recountedHe added I told him I know your family I am not against your preferences but I am your friend and every relationship is not about sex He said Dont worry next time you will be ready I left and lost the film at Mukta ArtsMushtaq came back to haunt Rahul when he turned to television work I was chosen for a TV serial called Amber Dhara I was popular as the first blind hero on national television Then I got a call from Mushtaq telling me that he was the one who had chosen me for the role That destroyed my confidence and selfbelief Then I was signed up for another show called Mata Ki Chowki also associated with Mushtaq He extended his offer again that I could sleep with him to keep my job but I refused My character was written out of the show soon said RahulHe grabbed my headHe added During another show called Ganesh Leela Mushtaqs roving eye caught me again He told me to meet him at night for a drive We were on a drive in Aarey Milk Colony when he suddenly grabbed my head towards him and started unbuttoning me Rahuls clothes I got very angry and upset and told him that I would stop the car and leave him in the middle of the jungleI used to earn around Rs 34 lakh per month in those days I owe answers to my friends and fans as to why I quit TV It was because of Mushtaq Shiekh I told my parents the same thing 10 years ago I cant do this because I will be forced to sleep with someone said the Amber Dhara actor adding I told my mother that I wanted to tell the world my story now I had been reluctant earlier because my male friends told me Tu mard hain aise kaise bol sakta hai My mother told me that a real man tells the truth and faces the consequencesProducer friend saysHe said his friend and former roommate Asif Ali now a film producer had witnessed his trauma over the years midday reached out to Asif who said When we were roommates I asked Rahul why he wasnt getting good projects He told me about the harassment and demands for sexual favours I read a few of their chats but I dont remember their culprits namesDespite repeated attempts to contact Mushtaq he did not respond to middays queriesAlso ReadMeToo KWAN Founder Anirban Das Blah Tries To Commit SuicideCatch up on all the latest Mumbai news crime news current affairs and also a complete guide on Mumbai from food to things to do and events across the city here Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updates