Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], June 19 (ANI): Actor Shilpa Shinde has once again spoken out about the challenges faced by artists in the entertainment industry. Shinde criticised sections of the television industry and alleged that some producers operate like “white-collar mafias”.
In a video shared on Instagram, Shilpa said, “So, today I am going to say this: as you saw, the Artist Association itself doesn’t stand with the artists, right? And these producers in the TV industry, they act like a mafia. They are ‘white-collar mafia’, I have always been saying this. Producers who don’t support them are also threatened, ‘If something happens to you tomorrow, we won’t support you.’ Forget about support, they say, ‘We will stop your work. We won’t let your current show continue; you have to side with us’.”
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Reacting to claims that actor Shehzaada Dhami is allegedly yet to receive nearly Rs 30 lakh in pending dues. She also expressed disappointment over what she described as a lack of support from fellow artists and industry bodies.
“They did not support me. Even today, when they had an opportunity to stand by me, they still didn’t. There was no need for me to speak up. No one even knows what I went through at that time. People are falsely accusing me of doing it just for money. Today, 10 years later, that producer is still making TV shows and even films. No one has the courage to fight for justice for themselves. And then people end up taking extreme steps like suicide,” she said.
Shinde’s remarks come after her recent appearance on a podcast hosted by comedian Bharti Singh and Haarsh Limbachiyaa, where she spoke about her dispute with the producers of the television show ‘Bhabiji Ghar Par Hain’.
During the conversation, Shinde said that she had filed a sexual harassment complaint against producer Sanjay Kohli after leaving the show and amid a dispute over pending payments. She stated that she felt “cornered” at the time and described the move as a last resort. Shinde also said that the matter was later settled and that she received her dues.
She confessed to making false allegations against the producer of ‘Bhabiji Ghar Par Hain!’ to deflect the accusations made against her and evade legal scrutiny. According to her, the allegations against her were part of a targeted campaign intended to control her and hinder her ability to find work in the industry if she left the show.
In the podcast, Shilpa recalled that friends had questioned her decision at the time, but maintained that she felt trapped and saw no other way out of the situation after leaving the show.
The controversy traces back to 2016, when Shilpa exited ‘Bhabiji Ghar Par Hain!’ and accused the makers of harassment. The dispute was later settled.
Referring to her own experience, Shinde said she had her reasons for speaking publicly about the controversy she was involved in nearly a decade ago.
“Aaj mauka tha, mere co-artists bol sakte the iss matter main. Mera imaan janta hai ke kya hua tha mere saath aur kya nahi. Mujhe nahi kaam karna hai aap logo ke sath, chhaiye bhi nahi mujhe roles. Ghatiya kaam karte ho aap log. Aaj kal creativity bachi hi nahi hai, sab bakwaas shows karte ho aap log. Is tarah ke ghatiya artists hai is industry mein, aap isme kaam karna chahte ho? Mujhe karna hi nahi hai. Raaste mein sabzi bechungi par aise logo ki nahi chatungi main (Today was an opportunity for my co-artists to speak up on this matter, but they didn’t. My conscience knows what happened to me and what didn’t. I don’t want to work with these people anymore, and I don’t need roles from them either. The kind of work they do is disgraceful. There is hardly any creativity left these days; all they make are terrible shows. These are the kind of artists this industry is filled with, and you want to work in such an environment? I certainly don’t. I’d rather sell vegetables on the street than flatter or bow down to such people),” she added.
Shilpa returned to ‘Bhabiji Ghar Par Hain!’ in 2025 and has stated that she came back because of the show’s writer. She also revealed that she now shares a good relationship with the entire team. (ANI)
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