- By Swati Singh
- Thu, 28 Aug 2025 10:08 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Anusha Dandekar and Sakshi Shivdasani stirred controversy after the latter claimed that she was mistreated on the show MTV Supermodel of the Year. Sakshi appeared on MTV Supermodel of the Year in 2019 at the age of 20 and made a lasting impression with her calm and casual demeanor despite being eliminated from the show. Years later, Sakshi spoke out about her experience, revealing that she and fellow contestants faced rudeness from producers and some judges during their time on the program.
Recently, on her podcast, Sakshi Shivdasai opened up about the illtreatment she received on MTV Supermodel of the Year. She said that only four hours of sleep was permitted to the contestants. She further added that the food served to them was portioned.
Sakshi claims Anusha bullied her on MTV Supermodel
Sakshi even claimed that she was bullied by Anusha Dandekar on the show. She said that some judges like Ujjwala and Masaba occasionally spoke rudely to contestants, while Malaika Arora maintained a proper tone. Sakshi highlighted an evident "power dynamic" at play during the show.
Sakshi said, "Women who were 10-15 years older than me coming and saying these things, I thought it was just bully behaviour… A certain host would come up to me off camera and make snide comments about my life…"
MTV Supermodel is 'predatort', says Sakshi
"There was this task where we had to jump from one container to another. Again, you’re harnessed, but some guy is manually controlling it. I don’t trust people with my life like that. Anusha, without getting a go-ahead, was like, ‘Jump off.’ No one was holding it… she never coordinated with anyone," she further added.
Sakshi described MTV Supermodel of the Year as "predatory and creepy," citing a shoot where her body was objectified. She also shared a disturbing experience working with Milind Soman and Ujjwala Raut on an intimate task, where the two leads were "groping each other" and contestants were expected to join in and display chemistry.
Sakshi said, "Anusha didn’t like my outfit. They made me change last minute, and it was completely backless. I wasn’t comfortable with my outfit… Everyone was like, ‘Oh, why is she not comfortable?’ I’m not a physical touch person. I’m not going to get in the middle of Milind Soman and Ujjwala Raut… That’s not how things happen on a real set. That’s an HR violation."
'Assaults On Puppies': Sakshi
Sakshi revealed more disturbing experiences on the show, including tasks where young puppies were abused, nearly killing one. Another task forced contestants to share their deepest insecurities, with judges dismissively criticizing them, causing emotional distress. Sakshi noted that contestants couldn't leave due to a Rs 3 crore penalty.
Sakshi claims producer threatened to slap her
Sakshi claimed that a producer threatened to slap her to make her emotional for a particular stunt. She said, "She was like, ‘Are you going to give me any TRPs and emotions, or do I have to slap it out of you?'"
Sakshi shared that she often sees Anusha, who pauses to admire her dog, Sushi, but she chooses to walk away upon realising it’s her. Her detailed account of the alleged mistreatment on the show, particularly her comments about Anusha Dandekar, quickly went viral.
Anusha says Sakshi's claims are false
In a chat with Humans Of Bombay, Anusha claimed, "Firstly, when I heard it, I was like, ‘Wow, people can just lie. They can just use that? Okay, I’m gonna sit tight. I’m gonna sit quiet. I’m gonna let her say what she wants to say.’ She knows the truth and I know the truth, and that’s enough."
She further added, “Then she said it again. Come on, now. She’s seen me in public. She smiles, and I smile back. Wow, so you wanna say that on camera, but you wanna smile at me when you see me? I found it strange. You’ve got to know you’re not being honest."
Anusha says Sakshi had no motivation to be on MTV Supermodel of the Year
"I didn’t treat her differently. I don’t know what she was saying… Everything I did was on camera. I was told to go up to her specifically and tell her because she was not being enthusiastic… It’s my job to go and tell her," Anusha said.
(Image: Reddit)
Anusha Dandekar also said that Sakshi's comments might have been driven by her emotions at the time and implying that Sakshi didn't give her best on the show. Anusha accused Sakshi of lying about her experience. Sakshi fired back by sharing her 2019 chats, where she had documented her time on the show, seemingly to prove her claims were genuine.