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Satabdi Roy |
Satabdi Roy, actress-turned-Trinamul MP, clarifies on her association with the Saradha Group
A family friend was the one to propose the offer (to be brand ambassador) and I had agreed just like I do for other products.
I try to bring in variety among the products I endorse and then I stay loyal to that brand. Like any sari, mineral water, atta or maida brand that I endorse. With Saradha Group, I was only associated with their real estate sector. I had no other information or contact with the financial section. No link with their chit fund. Neither did I ever ask anyone to invest in the company, do any ads or promote it.
I would make appearances at events sponsored by them to light the lamp or attend puja openings in Joka, Patuli or around Calcutta. I would take my appearance fee like I do for any other product association. There was no contract.
I had no idea about their dealings in the financial sector. When I sign up with a company as a brand endorser, I don’t really get too much into the company dynamics or know all the details about the owner. I had met Sudipto Sen once, very briefly at a programme in Science City more than a year ago. We had a very casual exchange. In fact, I remember joking with him that, ‘Dada apni jebhabe cholchhen, puro Kolkatai apnar hoye jabe toh dekhchhi... (The rate at which you are going, entire Calcutta will become yours)’. He had laughed it off. That apart, I’ve never seen him at company events.
I was in Indonesia when the news (about the controversy) spread. I haven’t spoken to any official from the company yet. I hardly know anyone there. Ja ghotechhe khubi dukkhojonok (what has happened is tragic). So many lives are affected…. I can only hope they pay off whatever money they owe to people, even if they have to sell their properties.
This is a disaster, Bengal’s disaster. As a human being, I am saddened. But I have not been involved in the crime they have committed. If I was a director in the company, I might have had reason to feel guilty for duping and robbing people of their money and livelihood. But I had no money dealings with Saradha. Not even as an MP. Whatever I’ve taken from them has been an appearance fee as an artiste.
Just today, I was telling a relative that I’ve always had a very clean image. I don’t think any farmer or businessman in Birbhum can ever point a finger at me and claim that I have taken a single paisa from them or misused funds.
As far as involvement or sense of guilt is concerned, let me give you an example. Shah Rukh Khan is the brand ambassador of Bengal and Amitabh Bachchan of Gujarat. Does that mean, whenever there’s trouble or anything goes wrong in the state, it is their headache or responsibility?
As far as I know, this scandal has led to huge losses but I know that I haven’t abused poor people or their money. Whatever I’ve done has been in my capacity as an artiste or an actress. Amar bojhanor kono bhasha nei (I wonder how I can communicate this to everyone).