Aisi Deewangi...Controversy: NHRC Supports Jyoti Sharma & Pranav Misshra; Asks Police To Take Action Within 8 Weeks

Zee TV’s show Aisi Deewangi Dekhi Nahi Kahi met with a not so positive end as the show went off-air due to controversial reasons. The fight between the show’s producer, Jatin Sethi-Aastha Naad and the lead actors- Jyoti Sharma & Pranav Misshra spurt out earlier this year (January) when the actors quit the show due to inhuman treatment and harassment by producers. Jatin and Aastha then filed a police complaint against the actors. In April, Jyoti Sharma in turn wrote to National Human Rights Commission of India (NHRC) to intervene.

And now, NHRC has stepped in the matter and asked Chief Secretary of Maharashtra and Commissioner of Police to investigate the matter and take action within eight weeks.

Bombay Times spoke to Lawyer Suvigya Vidyarthi, who is representing the lead couple and Cine & TV Artists Association (CINTAA) and she told the daily, “We had written to the Chief Secretary of Maharashtra and the Commissioner of Police against the irregularities and the inhuman treatment meted out to Jyoti and Pranav on the set of the show. Later, we approached the NHRC and they have issued directions to these authorities to take action within eight weeks and inform the complainant of the same. The two young actors have been harrassed. We have approached the right authorities and are happy that they have taken cognisance of the matter. We will make sure that justice prevails and this becomes a precedent for the industry at large.”

While Sushant Singh, General Secretary, CINTAA said, "The NHRC order is a huge step for us as probably for the first time, the commission has taken cognisance of the pitiable conditions a Hindi television artiste works in. Although this order concerns the lead actress of one particular show, we all know that these conditions are not an exception. Not just the artistes, but the whole crew that works in inhuman conditions. The system needs to change and be regulated and this NHRC order shall become the foundation for the big fight."

The leading daily also spoke to one of the producers- Aastha R Naad who defended their side and said, "Ironically, Jyoti and Pranav violated human rights by dishonouring the legal agreement and further breaching it by defaming us. They criminally conspired and blackmailed us, which led to the shutdown of the show and 100 fellow show members losing work. They blamed us for inhuman treatment, even though they were provided separate vanity vans and all other luxuries, including a mini health club. Now, they seem to rest their belief in the law by approaching NHRC, but surprisingly, they never showed up whenever any Indian constitutional agency called them to hear their side. They did not even attend any of the meetings held by Indian Motion Picture Producers Association (IMPPA). We have raised our complaint to the agencies and we believe justice will be served."


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