At 14, Bhumi Pednekar Was Poked, Pinched At Bandra Fair: Actress Opens Up On Sexual Assault Story

Bollywood actress Bhumi Pednekar, who is prepping up for the release of 'Bhakshak', has opened up on disturbing incidents that occurred in her teenage years.

In an interview with Hauterrfly, she has shared two instances of her being a victim of sexual assault. She recalled, "I remember this very very clearly. In Bandra, fairs used to happen back then. I was a teenager, probably 14, and was with my family. I knew what was happening... it's not like I was unaware.

I was walking and somebody kept pinching my a*s. Though I looked back, I couldn't understand who did it because it was very crowded. Somebody tried touching me inappropriately again and again and I was getting paranoid. Though I was with my family, there also was a whole bunch of kids from my building as well. But I didn't say anything at that time because I was thrown off by what had happened."

She has also spoken about an autorickshaw driver flashing at them outside their school. She claimed, "I still remember how that felt. I remember the poking and the pinching. It's like your body remembers... these are traumas that you can't get over. Many a time, you won't even understand who did it because you are in the midst of a crowd. I have friends who have been flashed, right outside school itself. When we were in school, there was an autorickshaw driver in Juhu.

This wasn't right outside the school but around that area. We used to walk back home during that time. He would 'do his business' (in front of us). This is a sickness. How do you reach that stage of such heightened emotion that you think this is normal? A lot of it comes from education. When facing such incidents) At that moment, you are so paralysed and traumatised, you just don't know what to do... You feel so violated."

On the work front, she will be next seen in the Pulkit-directorial 'Bhakshak'. She has paired up opposite Sanjay Mishra. Produced by Shah Rukh Khan's Red Chillies Entertainment, the Hindi flick will be out on February 9 on Netflix.