Shilpa Shinde, who had previously accused show Bhabhiji Ghar Par Hain’s producer of sexual harassment, has now shared shocking details, admitting that they were false. Back in 2016, her departure from show dominated headlines amid a bitter fallout with the production house.
Published: June 2, 2026, 8:25 PM IST
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Shilpa Shinde (PC-Instagram)
TV actor Shilpa Shinde, who became a household name with her portrayal of Angoori Bhabhi in the hit sitcom Bhabhiji Ghar Par Hain, left the show at the peak of its popularity following a major fallout with producer Sanjay R. Kohli and the channel. The dispute continued for several years and remained one of the most talked-about controversies in the television industry. Now, during a podcast with Bharti Singh and Haarsh Limbachiyaa, Shilpa made some startling revelations about that difficult phase of her life. Getting emotional, she spoke about the time she filed a sexual harassment complaint against the show’s producer and alleged that she was warned she would be left without work and forced to sit at home if she pursued the matter.
Shilpa Shinde lied all these years
Shilpa Shinde revealed that the sexual harassment allegations she had made against the show’s producer, Sanjay R. Kohli, were false. Speaking on a podcast, she admitted, “That was a lie.” Opening up about the controversy, Shinde explained that she filed the complaint because she felt she had no other option at the time and was looking for a way out of the situation. She said, “No one knows this. I’m not afraid to speak the truth, and I’ll say it today. What I’m saying is a very serious matter. I filed a sexual harassment case against my producer because I had no other option. Later, I settled the matter and got out of it.”
What was Shilpa Shinde’s controversy?
According to her, the controversy began when she was allegedly pressured to sign an ‘exclusive contract’ that would prevent her from pursuing other work opportunities. She claimed that after refusing, the pressure on her increased and she was gradually removed from the show. Shilpa recalled that she was suddenly informed that she would not be shooting the next day, and later read reports that she had been removed from the series.
She said, “Not many people can make that choice. At that time, the idea was basically to scare me. I was being asked to sign a contract that would stop me from working anywhere else. It was a complete bond designed to ensure that the actor remained under control and couldn’t negotiate for more money. But this wasn’t my first show, so I wasn’t willing to agree to those terms.”
I told them, “I don’t need to work anywhere else. Where do I even have the time? That was never the issue. The issue was being controlled and not being allowed to make my own decisions. Then suddenly, they wrapped up almost ten episodes’ worth of my shoot in just two days. The same people who wouldn’t even give me leave on non-shooting days suddenly told me, ‘You don’t have a shoot from tomorrow.’ I asked why, but there was no proper answer. Soon after that, news started appearing everywhere that ‘Bhabhi Ji Ghar Par Hain’s Angoori is no longer part of the show.’ I felt it was all being done to intimidate me.”
Shilpa Shinde says she was warned of a possible ban
Shilpa Shinde further claimed that she was warned she could be banned from the industry. Recalling the episode, she said, “That’s why I call the producers’ association a ‘white-collar mafia,’ and I can still say that today. I was even told by the artists’ association, CINTAA, that I could be banned.”
“I remember asking, ‘How can an artists’ association ban an artist?’ A producers’ association can decide that they don’t want to work with someone, or a channel can choose not to cast an actor, but how can an association meant to represent artists take such a stand against an artist? I felt there was a monopoly. The producers and associations worked in a way that gave them control over actors”, Shilpa Shinde concluded.
