Actor Pankit Thakker, who rose to fame as Harsh Bhatia in Ekta Kapoor's 2001 hit Kabhi Sautan Kabhii Sahelii, says men in the industry often face trial by public opinion before facts emerge.
In a candid conversation, the actor recalled the ordeal of his Special Squad co-star Karan Oberoi and referenced the high-profile Hrithik Roshan-Kangana Ranaut dispute to make his point. "We cannot forget what happened to my co-star in Special Squad, Karan Oberoi," Pankit said. "Karan had to spend an entire agonizing month inside a jail cell fighting for bail over a completely fabricated, false case before the truth finally came out. His career, his peace of mind, and his reputation were shattered because the system rushed to punish an innocent man." Karan Oberoi played a high-impact cameo in TVs cult thriller Special Squad, where Pankit was one of the central leads. Pankit added that the bias is not limited to television actors. "Look at the legendary Hrithik Roshan and Kangana Ranaut dispute that dominated national headlines for years, where a top-tier male star was painted as the default villain without solid proof before the technical facts cleared the air," he said. "True strength means having a true moral compass. We must have deep empathy and compassion for human flaws, but we must enforce strict consequence when a major boundary is crossed completely irrespective of gender. Justice cannot be a one-sided street." Thakker, who has been part of popular shows like Dill Mill Gayye, Bahu Hamari Rajni Kant, Tujhse Hai Raabta, Barsatein - Mausam Pyaar Ka and most recently Saru, believes the industry needs to address the issue head on. "As an actor who has been a part of this industry for two decades, I believe we need to have this conversation openly and honestly," Pankit concluded.More Articles