Two former students of prominent Bollywood choreographer Shiamak Davar have accused him of sexual harassment.
Percy Shroff, 40, and Jimmy Mistry, 33, both of whom reside in North Vancouver, Canada, claim that Shiamak touched them inappropriately and took advantage of them because of his position. They go on to claim that this went on for several years.
According to a report published in CBC News, the two alleged that they endured years of “unwanted sexual touching” at the hands of Shiamak, who they say “abused his authority as their spiritual leader to control all aspects of their lives”.
Shiamak hugging Percy Shroff PHOTO: CBC NEWS
“I used to believe that his word was God. I just wanted to please him,” 40-year old Percy Shroff was quoted as saying by CBC. He claimed Shiamak began grooming him for sexual exploitation when he was 16, and he is suing now to protect his young son.
In the lawsuit, Percy also alleged that Shiamak threatened him that his soul would not "progess spiritually" if he did not do as he asked.
However, Shiamak Davar, who has been Bollywood heartthrob Shahid Kapoor’s dance guru and has danced with celebrities like Shilpa Shetty, has denied the allegations made against him. In a written response to the lawsuits, the choreographer claimed the allegations are not true and that the two former dancers are trying to ruin “his character, reputation and affiliated organisations”.
He has requested the court to dismiss both lawsuits.
Shiamak Davar with Shilpa Shetty PHOTO: CBC NEWS
Shiamak is known as the guru of contemporary dance in India. He is responsible for modernizing India’s dance scene especially in the film and theatre industry, and is respected for his ever evolving and very popular “Shiamak Style” of dance. He was also the director of choreography for the Commonwealth Games, Melbourne, and Commonwealth Games, Delhi. He has also been involved with Hollywood film Mission Impossible 4.
PHOTO: CNN
He has choreographed several Indian actors and celebrities for film and stage for events like the IIFA Awards and the Filmfare Awards. Besides Shahid Kapoor, Bollywood actors Varun Dhawan and Sushant Singh Rajput have also been members of the Shiamak Davar Dance Company.
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