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Kathmandu: Actress Kajal Karn has alleged that she faced discrimination, humiliation, and mental harassment during the filming of ‘Chiranjivi Bhava’, claiming she was targeted because of her Madhesi identity. She shared the allegations in a lengthy Facebook post on Friday.
Karn said she had previously worked in more than 350 Tharu, Bhojpuri, Maithili, and Nepali music videos and considered being cast in Chiranjivi Bhava a significant milestone in her career. However, she claimed that she was subjected to disrespectful treatment from the beginning of the production.
According to her, despite costume measurements being taken, she was later asked to arrange her own outfit for the Kathmandu shoot. She also alleged that although the production team had promised to provide transportation to the filming location, she was eventually asked to travel at her own expense.
Karn further claimed that she was humiliated inside the makeup room and was not welcomed while the lead actress was preparing. She accused members of the makeup team of making derogatory remarks about her Madhesi identity and skin tone, saying she was mocked with offensive stereotypes and intentionally given darker makeup.
She also alleged that she was forced to perform scenes that were not included in the original script, including cleaning-related tasks, and claimed she was treated more like a laborer than an actress during the shoot.
According to Karn, when she requested her remaining payment, she was called to the shooting location in Itahari only to discover that another actress had already replaced her. She alleged that she had been removed from the film without prior notice and that her outstanding payment was not settled.
In her statement, Karn said the incident reflects the discrimination that Madhesi artists continue to face within Nepal’s film industry. She added that although the experience was deeply painful, it would not discourage her from pursuing her acting career or speaking out against discrimination.
When MeroPicture.com asked about this, director Deepak Prasad Acharya said that he would read the status after reaching the hotel and then give his response.
