Rape accused Alok Nath plays judge in a #MeToo film

Bollywood actor Alok Nath, who was accused of rape by screenwriter and producer Vinta Nanda in October 2018 after the #MeToo Movement took off in India, has shot for a film on child molestation. The actor plays a judge in the film and will preside over a case of child sexual abuse.

According to Mumbai Mirror, the film is called #MainBhi, in a direct reference to the #MeToo hashtag that is used the world over to highlight cases of sexual abuse and violence. The veteran actor told the tabloid, "I'm not doing any films at the moment. This was something I shot for a while ago. Is there a problem? You sound sad that I'm doing a film."

"It's a puny role for poor producers, let it release," he added quickly.

The film stars Khalid Siddiqui and Sonali Raut in the lead, along with Shahwar Ali, Imran Khan, Mukesh Khanna and Shahbaz Khan. Siddiqui revealed that Alok Nath is playing a judge in the film and will give a speech at the end about how molestation is wrong.

"The film deals with child molestation, a subject that hasn't been tapped on screen often, particularly with regard to boys," said Siddiqui.

Vinta Nanda, writer-producer of the successful nineties television series Tara in which Alok Nath also starred, had accused him of molesting her and filed a rape case against him. After much furore on the allegations against him, Alok Nath had denied any such incident happened and applied for anticipatory bail.

Upon an enquiry, Nath was expelled by the Cine and TV Artistes' Association (CINTAA) in Mumbai till further notice.

In January 2019, the Mumbai sessions court granted anticipatory bail to the actor, saying that the "possibility cannot be ruled out that the applicant (Alok Nath) has been falsely accused in the crime". The court argued that Nanda did not lodge the report immediately after the alleged incident, possibly for "her own benefit".

Nath has been barred by the court from visiting Nanda's house and from bribing or threatening anybody associated with the case.