Yesteryear actress Vichitra is currently participating as one of the contestants on Vijay Television's Bigg Boss Tamil season 7 being hosted by 'Ulaganayagan' Kamal Haasan and is already a fan favorite to win the title. During a heart-to-heart conversation with her fellow housemates on the hit reality TV show, the popular Tamil actress, who entered cinema in 1991, opened up on her reason for quitting acting and narrated a sexual harassment incident on a film set that forced her to take the decision. Vichitra, who was also one of the finalists on the famous cooking reality show, Cooku With Comali 4, shared her unpleasant experience without revealing the name of the film and the people who harassed her during its shooting in Malampuzha, Kerala.
During the recent Bigg Boss Tamil 7 episode, Vichitra shared about facing her demons and said, "It was the year 2000 and a late actor suggested me to work in a film. I don't want to speak about the picture details and all that. The shooting took place in Malampuzha where I also met my husband for the first time since he was working there. As the shooting was scheduled, I had to stay there and had a very big issue. You all must be familiar with casting issues in films and I faced a harrowing experience in that film. Everyone is aware of me disappearing from films after 2001, but nobody knows the reason apart from my family and close circle. It became a big issue at the time, but in my mind, it has been a wound that hasn't healed. If I tell this out, I think I have won my demons. I still remember that it was a top hero's film. There was upgrading being done on a 3-storey hotel. My husband, who was working there at the time, came and told me that there was going to be a party and invited me to join along. So, I met the hero of the picture and he didn't even ask my name. The first word he said was, 'Are you acting in this film?' I said, 'Yes'. He then told me to come to his room. Immediately, it was a big shock as I couldn't understand what kind of gesture that was. However, I just decided to go to my room and instead, I slept."
Vichitra continued, "After that, I began facing many issues from the next day at the shooting spot. The scene wouldn’t be shot on time. I didn't face these issues in Tamil films and don't know whether this was my bad luck or a bad time. After 6 p.m. in the evening, everyone would get drunk and start knocking on my door. I still remember the banging of the doors. I told the receptionist not to connect any calls and leave me alone. I wanted to do my work and manage until I left. But that didn’t happen. The issues kept cropping up. Then, my husband, who was not even a friend, asked me how he could be of help. I told him that I wanted to change my room and that nobody should know where I was staying. So, during that schedule, I was staying in a different room every single day, and they all helped me. I would be in the room opposite my previous room and I'd still hear the banging there. It was not just one person. There would be several people."
Vichitra then said, "They got irritated and wanted to teach me a lesson. During the shooting in a forest on the next day, it was a village scene and the atmosphere had fighters and the stunt master was there. It was a riot scene and the people had to run everywhere. During the scene, I felt that someone was touching me inappropriately. When this happened for the third time, I caught hold of the person who touched me and dragged him to the stunt master to complain. But, he just took the person's hands away and gave me a big, tight slap on the set. I looked stunned wondering the reason for his actions. I looked around to see if anyone would come and help me, but no one did. So, I walked off the set as I was filled with fear, anger, and embarrassment."
Popular Actress and Tamil Biggboss S7 Contestant #Vichitra shares her shocking and personal bitter experience while shooting for her Tamil film years ago!#BiggBossTamil7 #BiggBossTamil #Vichithra #MeToo @Chinmayi pic.twitter.com/1RJimK0sag
— Akshay (@Filmophile_Man) November 21, 2023
Revealing that she immediately contacted the actor's union in Chennai, Vichitra said that she was asked to return from the sets and write a formal complaint. However, no action was initiated against her abusers despite her efforts. "I was beaten, and held forcefully, I had blood clots on my hands and on my back, including the mark of the slap on my cheek. All this was reported in the newspapers, but nothing transpired. No one came for me. It need not go to the extent of rape... even manhandling and slapping a woman at a workplace are also crimes. The secretary at the time then told me to go to the police and not to approach the Sangam."
Vichitra then explained about taking the legal route and the interrogation calling it an "ugly procedure". She also spoke about how her husband came down to help her with the evidence, but she was still left devastated. Breaking down, she said, "Nothing happened and I didn’t know if I should continue to act. I was worried about whether my family could survive. I asked myself, 'Why this cine field?' No one came. Not one person showed up. Perhaps, everyone thought I deserved the treatment, and the president of the Sangam too had told me to forget everything and go back to work. I can’t forget that to this date. Then, my husband asked me one question, 'Is this what you are working for? If there's no dignity for you at a place, why be there?' It felt like a big slap. I worked and struggled in the industry for 10 years and appeared in around 100 films. I thought the film industry was my family. Then, I realized it wasn’t. I wanted to find my family and voluntarily quit the field because there was no use since there was no respect for my feelings. Then, I went into a shell and wanted a peaceful family life. That's when my husband said, 'You're not an actress what I see outside and I want to get married to you.' I've worked with many heroes, but to me, he's my hero. He married me, gave me a dignified life, and we had three sons.' Vichitra concluded her statement by making an appeal to everyone to be there for each other saying that any crime needs to be addressed immediately.
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— Akshay (@Filmophile_Man) November 21, 2023
Popular Actress and Tamil Biggboss S7 Contestant #Vichitra shares her shocking and personal bitter experience while shooting for her Telugu film years ago!#BiggBossTamil7 #BiggBossTamil #Vichithra #MeToo @Chinmayi pic.twitter.com/NutDOQhEOg
