Actress Maninee De, who has been a part of films like Fashion and Student of the Year as well as several popular television shows, recently revealed that she was sexually abused at the age of seven. The actress described her experience 'extremely devastating' and opened up about how she dealt with it.
In an interview with Siddharth Kanan, Maninee said, "I went through abuse as a kid. So vo thoda dark phase tha meri life ka. Main apne hi demons ke saath fight kar rahi thi. (There was a bit of a dark phase in my life. I was fighting with my own demons).
The actress said that she shared it with her parents many years later. Maninee also added that it was a "close relative" who abused her, however, she said that despite letting her parents know about it, they never took any action against that person.
"In fact, strangely, he called to apologise to me five to six years ago. And he was like, 'I am really sorry'. I was numb absolutely. And the only thing I said was what's done is done. I just pray to the lord... He is in a pretty bad physical condition, completely paralysed. So, there is karma in this world," she said.
Opening up about the dark phase of her life, Maninee said, "It was really tough. I am not going to deny. And I am not going to make it lighter by saying nahi, nahi. It is like a wound. Of course, I have done a lot of shadow work. Bahut healing process se guzri hu main. That one wound takes a long time to heal. And that is the reason I became a therapist - so that what happened to me doesn't happen to anyone else, and if unfortunately if it does, I should be there to heal that person."
Maninee revealed how she overcame the trauma. "I kind of transmuted, if I may say so in English. I started writing by reading books. I used to write poems. I used to go play. I used to have conversations with myself. I think vo mera evolve hone ka process tha. Mushkil tha lekin mai apne waqt se pehle badi ho gayi," she shared.
Maninee made her acting debut in 1995 with Amma and Family. Over the years, she has been a part of popular TV shows like Jassi Jaissi Koi Nahin, Shaka Laka Boom Boom, Sarabhai vs Sarabhai, Remix, Diya Aur Baati Hum, Laado 2, Laal Ishq, Udaariyaan and many more.
She was married to actor Mihir Mishra, however, they announced separation in 2020.
