#MeToo: Saqib Saleem was sexually harassed at 21, says it scarred him

After Tanushree Dutta spoke about her ordeal and the harassment she faced 10 years ago on the sets of the 2008 film Horn Ok Pleasss, several women have shown courage and named the perpetrators who misbehaved with them. 

Names like Vikas Bahl, Sajid Khan, Alok Nath, Subhash Ghai among others have come to the fore and have been shamed through posts of victims on social media. 

But, even though actresses have shared their harrowing experiences, B-town actors have yet not shared their #MeToo story. 

However, Saqib Saleem, who essayed the role of Salman Khan’s brother in Race 3, has opened up about the sexual harassment he has faced. 

In an interview with Hindustan Times, Saqib said, “I don’t want to take names, but when I started out as an actor- I was only 21 years old- there was a man who tried to assault me. He tried to put his hand in my pants.” 

Saqib then smashed the person. He didn't react on his sexuality, but his actions.  

He added that he has gay friends and they’re wonderful, and in what happened to him, he blames the person’s mentality.

“When it happened with me, I whacked the guy and I told him to mind his own f***ing business and I left. I was 21, and of course, it scarred me, but I moved on. I’m sure that everyone’s different and an incident such as this must affect different people differently,” Saqib said.

About the stories that are coming to fore, he said, “These stories are heartbreaking and sexual offenders are horrible people.” He added that victims must take legal recourse.

Earlier, Saif Ali Khan had also shared his story of harassment.