I’m scared to even look at a woman, says Ankit Tiwari

Ankit Tiwari, who was accused of rape by a former girlfriend, has had no respite from his legal battles yet. Only last week, a special women’s court rejected his discharge plea. But the singer hasn’t lost hope. “It is my karma. I guess I had to go through this. I am not complaining. But my family and I are fighting the charge. When it (the rape allegation) was made, my career’s most precious song Galiyaan was being celebrated all over the country. I received so many awards for the song, so I never felt isolated or stigmatised. In fact the music and film industry have been exceptionally supportive. I suppose they instinctively know when an allegation is legitimate and when it’s not.”

He points out that he wasn’t even living in with the girlfriend. “I stayed with my family. I continue to live with them. My mother is a devotional singer. She sings jagratas. So spirituality runs in my family. Mata Rani (Goddess Durga) is with me. And I have my parents’ blessings. I have nothing to fear.”

Being God-fearing however, is not his only defence. The singer resorts to a rather sanskari rebuttal when he says, “I am scared to even look at any woman. Yes, I do go to movies with my female friends. But I make sure there is an empty seat between us. That seat will only be filled by my wife whenever she comes in my life.”