Twenty-eight-year old Malik, whose showbiz career took off in 2010 following an appearance on 'Rahul Dulhaniya Le Jayenge', currently stars in Anil Kapoor's television show '24' and will be seen in the upcoming film 'Revolver Rani'.
She told reporters from Faridabad, "My uncles and other relatives were against my pursuing a career in Bollywood right from the start (2010), and put a lot pressure on my parents to get me to quit my profession." She added, "They threatened my parents with dire consequences if I did not quit. They managed to influence my father, who is also against my career in Bollywood. It is only my mother who has supported me."
For supporting her choice of career, her mother has been subjected to physical assault and death threats, Nikunj claims. Narrating an incident from January this year, she says, "My uncle forced himself into our house and assaulted my mother. He told her: 'We came to your house and told you fours ways you could save yourself. You didn't listen to us; now you must face the consequences'."
As the harassment continued, Nikunj finally filed a police complaint against her relatives in at Sector 7 police station, Faridabad, in July. However, as there had little movement in the case, she decided to visit Faridabad herself over the weekend. Her efforts finally bore fruit, and the police arrested her paternal uncle Mahavir Singh and his son Amit Malik.
She said, "My mother even has a recording of the threats they gave her on the phone. It is only after hearing them that the police arrested my uncle and his son and filed an FIR." Inspector Manoj Kumar of Sector 7 police station in Faridabad said, "We have arrested them for threatening the family. The sections applied on them are 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 452 (trespassing with a plan to assault or restrain someone), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 507 (criminal intimidation by an anonymous communication) of the Indian Penal Code.''
Nikunj said, "They told my parents they would kill them if they did not call me back home. They threatened my mother, who has been my sole supporter. This forced me take action against my relatives." Detailing the abuse her parents faced, she said, "They would come home and threaten my parents, asking my for my address in Mumbai. They said they would travel to Mumbai and bring me back with them." Despite the arrests, however, Nikhunj says she remains worried for her personal safety and that of her mother. She said, "They might seek revenge over the arrests. You can never predict the behaviour of criminals - they are very shrewed people."
