Aaditi Pohankar, who is recognized for her roles in hit web series like She and Aashram, recently shared shocking experiences of harassment during her formative years. In an interview with Hauterrfly, the talented actress opened up about unsettling encounters she faced as a schoolgirl, shedding light on the challenges many young women endure.
Recounting an incident from her childhood, Aaditi revealed how a fellow passenger on her school bus attempted inappropriate behavior. Her mother, a CAICWA teacher, had a student on the same bus, and after she reached the fifth standard, students were expected to take their own transport. It was during one such commute that she noticed a male passenger attempting to show her something inappropriate under his bag.
Initially unsure of how to respond, she nervously laughed and addressed him as “Dada” (brother in Marathi). However, when she realized his actual intent, she immediately stood up and loudly called out his behavior in front of everyone. The man, caught in a panic, forgot to zip his trousers, and as the bus kept moving, his pants fell down. In an attempt to escape, he jumped off the moving vehicle.
Aaditi further recalled an incident from her 11th-standard days while traveling in the first-class ladies’ compartment of a Mumbai local train. In that section, boys in school uniforms under the age of 18 were also allowed. As the train departed from Dadar station, a young boy suddenly grabbed her chest.
“I was wearing a kurta. I had no idea he had this intention towards me, and when he did, I went into a state of shock,” she shared. Taking immediate action, she got off at the next station and reported the incident to the police. However, the response from the authorities was dismissive. “The cops said, ‘Arre thik hai, kuch hua kya zyada?’ (Did anything major happen?). I replied, ‘Mentally mereko harassment hua’ (I was mentally harassed). The officer responded, ‘Abhi kaha dhundenge usko’ (Where will we find him now?).”
To her shock, the culprit was still standing at the same spot, attempting to target another girl. When she pointed him out, the officer questioned, “What proof do you have?” She firmly responded, “I am telling you he did it to me. Why would I lie?”
Determined to ensure justice, Aaditi confronted the boy with the help of a female constable. Initially, he denied any wrongdoing, but she took matters into her own hands. “I screamed at him loudly, scaring him because he was young after all, and I was two to three years older than him. Then, when I made a gesture as if I was going to hit him, he panicked and said, ‘Haan, sorry sorry’ (Yes, sorry, sorry). I literally held him by his collar and said, ‘Aur kisi ke saath karega? Inke saamne bol’ (Will you do this to anyone else? Say it in front of them).” It was only then that the boy finally admitted his actions.
Aaditi Pohankar has recently garnered praise for her role in Bobby Deol starrer Aashram Season 3 Part 2. She is set to appear in Mandala Murders, a highly anticipated series featuring Vaani Kapoor, Surveen Chawla, Vaibhav Raj Gupta, and Shriya Pilgaonkar in significant roles. The show is expected to premiere this year.
