Actress Shweta Basu Prasad, who became the focal point of a prostitution scandal two months ago, has issued a strong statement addressed to the media about her arrest and, in particular, a quote that was attributed to her. Read Full Statement
The quote, in which Shweta said that financial difficulties had forced her into the sex trade, was "wait, NOT MY 'statement!'", the former child star now says.
"Seriously?? Whoever you are, who imagined this statement, were you smoking funny cigarettes at work? Who talks like that? This sounds like a dialogue from some 80s Bollywood film. And why so many 'and' in that statement, go back to school amateur! Thankfully my family, my friends and my circle of people didn't believe this statement. They know I do not speak like that. But, for the rest of India or anyone, anywhere on planet, for the last time: THIS IS NOT MY STATEMENT!" the Makdee actress says.
Shweta says in her official statement, "The problem with our society is, as long as I was given sympathy and everyone went 'awwww', 'poor girl', 'so sad' and so on, everybody was supporting me. But, as soon as people understand that they got carried away by a false statement and a girl of 23 can be strong and can stand on her own feet without any sympathies, the society feels that she is lying?? What's my fault if the news were the way they were? I cannot force anyone to like or respect me. These happen naturally. What happened was beyond my control."
The National Award-winner says that she had "no clue what was going on outside" the remand home she was taken to after being arrested and where she stayed for almost two months. Shweta, who spent her time at the home reading teaching music to children, says she was "more amused than disappointed" when she read the reports about her arrest after she left the remand home. She also questions the 'statement' that the Hyderabad Police says she gave them and asks, "Who are these business men in my life? I am just as curious as all of you! So, here is the riddle: Why were the business men names who were caught 'along with me' not revealed? Clue: Were there any business men with me in that room at the time of detainment in the first place? Think Think. PROVE IT!"
Shweta was given a clean chit by a sessions court in Hyderabad on December 5. She says that she was in Hyderabad to attend the Santhosham Awards and was never "encouraged to get into commercial sex."
Shweta Basu Prasad made a splash with a double role in Vishal Bhardwaj's 2002 film Makdee, a performance which fetched her a National Award. She appeared in the popular soap Kahani Ghar Ghar Kii with Sakshi Tanwar playing her mother. After starring in 2005's Iqbal, she appeared in some South Indian films, made a documentary on Indian classical music and co-produced and acted in a short film.
In October this year, Shweta was arrested in Hyderabad on alleged prostitution charges. Many from the film and TV fraternity spoke out in support of her, including her TV mother Sakshi and actress Deepika Padukone. South filmmaker Dharma Teja reportdely wants to cast her in his next film and Shahid director Hansal Mehta has also said he may have a role for her.
This is Shweta's final word: "Anyway, enough said, enough heard. I have completely gone past the whole incident and I overlook everyone who picked up false statement(s) and encouraged mis-leading stories without verifying it's authenticity. I overlook, because this episode does not deserve any more attention!"
