Shweta Basu Prasad
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Shweta Prasad sex scandal: Celebrities react The Times of India
Who is Shweta?
Shweta Basu Prasad is a TV and film actress who has acted in several Indian languages. She won a national award as a child actress.
Personal details
Born: January 11, 1991, Jamshedpur
Height: 1.65 m
Education: R.N. Podar High School
The prostitution controversy
Shweta was mired in a controversy in 2014 when she was caught in an alleged prostitution racket. She was sent to a rescue and rehabilitation centre for two months
In an interview with Mumbai Mirror. Shweta denied having said to any journalist that she was forced into prostitution. She also denied ever hiring an agent named Balu who was arrested accepting cash allegedly on her behalf.
“I had gone to Hyderabad to attend an awards function, the Santosham Awards, and the organisers had paid for my air-fare and hotel stay. It was my bad luck that I decided to stay on an extra day to meet my friends which is when the raid happened," said Shweta to Mumbai Mirror.“I don't understand how I got into such a big mess. I was not doing drugs, I was not murdering someone... people are so interested (only) because they think here's some sex, some suffering and someone with a name [sic]," she adds.
A Hyderabad sessions court in Dec 2014 gave a clean chit to actress Shweta Basu Prasad who was arrested in connection with a sex racket.
Script consultant
Shweta in 2014 joined Anurag Kahsyap's production house Phantom as a script consultant. After Shweta Basu Prasad was detained in an alleged sex racket and sent to a remand home, she was scouting for scripts.
Though the actress has acting ambitions, she is keeping the job till she can find a script good enough for her.
Shweta said that she was essentially a curator in Phantom Productions and that she was going through potentially promising scripts. She also asserts that she likes her new job as reading scripts helps her grow as an actor. The actress quashed reports that claimed she had been signed for a documentary by Hansal Mehta. She explain that she had taken a documentary on Hindustani classical music to show Hansal who liked and appreciated it.
Hansal Mehta
National Award-winning filmmaker Hansal Mehta has offered the her a role in his upcoming film too. He took to Twitter and wrote, "Stop posting pictures of Shweta. Put out the pictures of her wealthy clients and the pimp. Expose the scumbags not the soft target. I intend to offer Shweta Prasad a role in my next film. She was so good in Makdee." Keeping the promise he had made in the tweet, Hansal offered a role to actor Shweta Basu Prasad in his next documentary, as reported in Hindustan Times. The report quoted Hansal as saying that they spoke over the phone and also met in his office. He also revealed that he offered her a role in his documentary which will be based on Hindustani classical music. However, the filmmaker maintains that he hasn't offered the film to the actress out of pity and asserted in the report that no one should. The report also quoted the filmmaker praising the actress' acting skills.
Deepika Padukone
According to a report in Times of India dated September 13, 2014, Bollywood actress Deepika Padukone had commented on the Shweta Basu Prasad case. Speaking to Indiatimes about Shweta, Deepika said that there is nothing wrong with it (her involvement in prostitution) if it was the only thing she could do to support herself and family. She said that it is unfair to make a scandal about it and rather than looking down upon her, it was time to get together and support her.
Sakshi Tanwar
Sakshi Tanwar - one of television's most popular faces last seen in Bade Acche Lagte Hain - too came ahead and spoke about the issue in Shweta's life. Sakshi Tanwar wrote a heartwarming piece in DNA about Shweta Basu Prasad and the prostitution scandal. She recalls fond memories of Shweta in the piece from the time she played her mother onscreen in the popular saas bahu saga Kahaani Ghar Ghar Kii. While a lot of other celebs have remained tight-lipped on the issue, Sakshi decided to take a stand on the same. She also expresses her disgust at how the media highlighted the National Award winner's name along with her pictures but did not carry the names of Shweta's high profile business clients.
Sakshi said that she remembers Shweta as a confident and warm girl. She mentions in the DNA article how Shweta used to wish her on Mother's Day every year for the past 13 years. Shweta grabbed on her role as Shruti in Kahaani Ghar Ghar Kii as if the "role was written for her", wrote Sakshi. Sakshi would inquire about her studies and work and Shweta would always assure that all is well.
Sakshi got calls and messages from people asking her if she has seen the news. In the column, Sakshi wrote, "Yes! I read about her because the reports are only writing about her. Had they written about her so called high profile "businessmen" clients involved, I would have read about them too. Honestly, I'm quite disappointed that the media reports have so selectively guarded their identity and names. I have no interest in knowing about those degenerate "businessmen", but I would have loved to see their names come to the fore so that their families - mothers, daughters, sisters and wives - and friends would get an insight into their recreational habits". [sic]
In the same letter, Sakshi wrote, "I'm appalled at the way the issue has been dealt with by the media. We, the people, are so eager to pass judgments and share opinions about her on social media, but none of us have walked the hard yards in her shoes... so, do we actually have a right to judge her yet? I don't know her reasons and problems, and I don't know any solutions either... All I know is that she is kept in a remand home and that she has apparently given a statement accepting it. At least she has been brave enough to accept it (as per the reports)". [sic]
Sakshi said that she has been trying to get in touch with Shweta, but has been unable to do so. Although, she got in touch with her mother who hadn't been allowed to meet Shweta in the remand home as well. As per Sakshi's letter in the publication, she mentioned that the attending judge had told Shweta's mother that Shweta had been cheering up kids and other women in the remand home by talking about music and life. Although, she said her mother felt "dejected" and was worried. "What if tomorrow she finds it impossible to carry the bitter remains of her life and takes a drastic step," Sakshi wrote.
Filmography
As a film actress
2002 Makdee Hindi
2005 Iqbal Hindi
2005 Vaah! Life Ho Toh Aisi Hindi
2006 Darna Zaroori Hai Hindi
2008 Kotha Bangaru Lokam Telugu
2009 Ek Nadir Galpo: Tale of a River Bengali
2009 Kasko Telugu
2009 Ride Telugu
2010 Kalavar King Telugu
2010 Priyudu Telugu
2011 Raa Raa Tamil
2012 Nuvvekaddunte Nenakkadunta Telugu
2013 Chandhamama Tamil
2013 Dracula 2012 (3D)
2014 Siva Kesav Telugu
On Hindi-Urdu television
Kutumb
Kahaani Ghar Ghar Kii
Karishma Kaa Karishma
The Magic Make-Up Box
Awards won
2002 Makdee National Film Award for Best Child Artist; Star Screen Award for Best Child Artist
2005 Iqbal Star Screen Award for Best Supporting Actress; Zee Cine Award – Critics' Choice Best Actress; Nominated, Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress; Nominated, IIFA Award for Best Supporting Actress[15]
2008 Kotha Bangaru Lokam Nominated, Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Telugu
