The Bhojpuri industry is facing shockwaves after actress Anjali Raghav, widely known for her Haryanvi music videos, announced her exit from Bhojpuri films. The decision comes in the aftermath of a viral video where superstar Pawan Singh was seen inappropriately touching her waist during a public event in Lucknow while promoting their song /Saiya Seva Kare’.
Anjali breaks her silence
Addressing the controversy through a series of Instagram videos, Anjali spoke about the distress she faced in the two days since the incident. She condemned Pawan’s actions and expressed her disappointment over memes suggesting she “enjoyed” the inappropriate touch. “Some people are blaming me. Some memes say, ‘She was smiling, enjoying herself.’ Do you think if someone touches me in public, I would feel happy about it? That I would enjoy it?” she asked, visibly upset.
Anjali recalls the incident
Anjali recalled that on stage, Pawan Singh pointed at her waist, claiming something was stuck there. Believing it to be her saree or blouse tag, she laughed it off at the time. But after the event, her team confirmed there was nothing. “Jab baad mein maine apne team member se pucha ki kuch laga hai, unhone kaha ki kuch bhi nahi laga tha. Tab mujhe bohot zyada bura laga, gussa aaya aur rona bhi aaya (later, when I asked my team member if anything had shown, they said nothing had. That’s when I felt really bad—I got angry, and I even cried,” she explained, adding that she froze in the moment, unsure how to react in front of his massive fan base.
Firm decision to quit Bhojpuri
Strongly condemning the incident, Anjali declared that no one should touch a woman without her permission. “Main bilkul bhi support nahi karti kisi bhi ladki ko bina uske permission ke touch karna… Aur iss tareeke se touch karna hadd se zyada galat hai (I absolutely do not support anyone touching a girl without her permission… And to touch her in this manner is completely unacceptable,” she asserted. Concluding, she said she would no longer work in Bhojpuri films and would instead focus on her life and career in Haryana.
