‘YOU WANT ALL KIDS TO BE SAFE’
Following Child Safety Week, Tara Sharma Saluja — mum of two — sheds light on why awareness about the issue must start at home
When you hear scary and upsetting stories of people in the family abusing children, and other similar incidents, it just shakes you as a parent.
I’ve known Honey Singh all my life, but didn’t want anyone in the industry to know as I did not want them to overlook my hard work. NANKU,
Actor Tara Sharma Saluja, who recently posted a video on Instagram on child sexual abuse, says learning about the problem and listening to stories of abuse “shakes you as a parent”.
“When you hear scary and upsetting stories of people in the family abusing children, and other similar incidents, it just shakes you. Thankfully, I do not have any personal experiences, but there are many who have dealt with something this horrific,” says
Artiste Nanku has been making music ever since he was in school, but his recent track Crazy, which he made with rapper Honey Singh, is attracting attention like never before!
For many, Singh may appear to be just a mentor who spotted Nanku and gave his talent a chance, but the 24-year-old
Saluja, mother of two.
The actor hosts a talk show where she discusses family issues. Often, she also touches upon the subject of child sexual abuse. “As a parent, you want all children to be safe,” shares the actor, who was last seen in Kadakh (2019) actor.
Parents, she says, play a crucial role in educating children about “good and bad touch” and in making a safe space for their kids to open up. “They need to know what to do when something wrong happens. There are cases where a known person abuses a child, but the child does not understand what really happened or what to reveals that the Desi Kalakaar hitmaker is not just a mentor, but has been an inspiration ever since childhood.
“I have known Honey Singh all my life, but I kept it a secret throughout. I didn’t want anyone in the industry or my peers to know about my connection because tab log nazarandaaz kardete hain mehnat ko. I did not want people to overlook my hard work. But he has been a do. It’s difficult to comprehend, thereby making it difficult for them to speak up. That’s why education in this regard is important and it needs to start at home,” she says.
On how pertinent it is to raise your voice against abuse, Saluja adds, “When I did my research, I got to know that 97% of the children are abused by people they know... Learning this made me realise that talking about it is essential because the more awareness there will be, the more people will feel comfortable sharing their personal experiences, and in the process, healing themselves.” mentor since childhood. I used to watch him make music. I am where I am because of everything that I have learned from him; he is a visionary.”
Nanku further reveals that Singh did spot him: “I was very low-key about my music, but one day I got a call from him, and he told me, “Tumare gaane sune maine aur woh bahut achhe hain. He asked me to come to the studio with my friend, and today we work together as part of his team.”
Finally, the artiste, who is still in his early stages of development, wants people to feel as if: “I am one of their own,” he concludes.