Sonia Jaffer | Sonia Jaffer Pictures | Sonia Jaffer videos Jhalak dikhla Jaa 3

Sonia Jaffer | Sonia Jaffer Pictures | Sonia Jaffer videos Jhalak dikhla Jaa 3

Sonia Jaffer Videos

News from 2007

Remember Sonia Jaffar, the attractive and vivacious 23-year-old dancer who partnered with filmmaker Mahesh Manjrekar on the reality dance show Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa?

Well, this is what she looks like today, battered and traumatised, the victim of a horrific rape and assault case last week.

The accused, who is now in police custody, is Sonia's former boyfriend 24-year-old Serin Panicker, a dancer himself with a popular troupe. According to her, they dated for about eight months a couple of years ago.

"But we parted on a bad note and ever since, Serin has been trying unsuccessfully to get back with me," Sonia said.

Last Friday evening, apparently frustrated by his failure to win her back, Serin showed up unexpectedly at Sonia's bungalow in Kalina.

Sonia was sitting with a male friend which enraged Serin who suspected something going on between the two. After her friend left, Serin and Sonia got into a fierce argument following which Serin stared beating her up.

"When I screamed for help, my landlord appeared, and Serin fled," Sonia recalled. But he was back in no time. This time he broke into her home by climbing in through the terrace.

Then began the ordeal that lasted several hours, alleged Sonia, in which Serin repeatedly beat her up and raped her. On Saturday morning, she filed a case of sexual assault at the Vakola Police Station.

"I was raped by Serin. At first I feared the stigma that comes with such cases. I also didn't want to go through the embarrassment of running to court. All that deterred me. And I was already in so much of pain," she said.

But then she decided to come out in the open and approached the police. She was sent to the Bhaba Hospital for a check-up.

"I did the medical test. And I have the proof. I hope the police thrash Serin in the lock-up and extract the truth from him," said the gutsy dancer-choreographer Sonia Jaffer now in police custody.

Bollywood Debut

She's the same girl who made Mahesh Manjarekar dance to her tunes in Jhalak Dikhhla Ja. Later on, it had been reported that she had been raped by her own boyfriend. Sonia seems to have moved on from there. The pretty girl is making her Bollywood debut as a choreographer in Fast Forward. Good for her we say, the show must go on after all!