Mika and Rakhi Sawant

Item Girl Rakhi Sawant knows how to remain in news. Just yesterday she claimed that she was forcibly smooched by singer Mika at his birthday bash on Saturday night. Rather than the customary form of greeting like hug or a peck, Mika kissed her forcibly, said Abhishek Awasthi, Rakhi's friend. Mika is singer Daler Mehendi's younger brother and has been friends with Rakhi for past three years.

Following the incident, Rakhi lodged a complaint against Mika and two others on charges of molestation and physical abuse. Mika's bodyguards also roughed up a friend of Rakhi, DJ Shezwood who was bleeding and was rushed to hospital. Oshiwara police said a case has been registered against Mika under sections 323 (assault) and 354 (molestation) of IPC.

The bindaas Rakhi then addressed the media the next day, explaining how the incident happened 'in detail'.

Though we feel that it is a shameful act and that the accused should be punished, the statements coming from both Mika and Rakhi builds a completely different mood. So better go through this before you make any judgments.

Let's take a look at their versions of the story.

According to Rakhi

Rakhi says that this wasn't the first time that Mika kissed her. He did so when she was dancing at an awards nite in Punjab. But that time she forgave him as he was a friend. He did it again at his birthday party. He grabbed my neck and kissed her hard. He in fact even bit her twice on the lower lip and broke her ear-ring in the process.

�I am an Indian woman. I will not allow a liplock - a peck on the cheek is okay.� said Rakhi.



According to Mika

Mika says that he never kissed Rakhi in Punjab. �Such things cannot be done in Punjab, where I not even release my video 'Something Something' on the local channels there because it is bold.�

Explaining about the birthday incident Mika says, he never kissed her on the lips. He planted one on her cheeks. Also he says that Rakhi's �rakhi� brother Shezwood was beaten up by a bunch of people. Also, people who were beating up Shezwood weren't his bodyguards. In fact, he stopped the fight. Suddenly, Rakhi screamed out that he smooched her.

Our take

Both the versions sound equally lame. Though we aren't trying to suggest anything here, some of Mika and Rakhi's comments do make us wonder. Rakhi says Mika did the same act with her on stage at Punjab, then how come nobody knows about it? And why didn't she lodge a police complaint back then? Talking about the party incidence, any female who is being molested, even a celeb, wouldn't really go live on media giving parameters of where to kiss her and where not to.

Mika on the other hand says that such things cannot be done in Punjab, Now what is that supposed to mean? Does he mean that one can openly disrespect women when you are in Mumbai? Does a women's dignity change with area codes? Besides isn't the man aware that the pics of the incidence are all over before denying to have smooched her. The video footage also clearly shows his bodyguards bashing up Rakhi's friends.

Taking a second look at the pics, you will clearly notice that Mika is posing for the camera while kissing Rakhi. The whole sequence from Mika's forcibly kissing Rakhi, to Rakhi's shocked reaction, her comeback with dress change and bleeding friends looks like a nice act for cameras. If not publicity stunt, wonder why else would someone do all this in the presence of media. Besides, look at the reactions of people in the background. Notice the 'Kaanta laga' girl Shefali Zariwalla with her hubby enjoying the scene as if Mika is doing some heroic act. Sunidhi Chauhan is quite confused it seems. The other guests at Mikka's party seem to be having fun thinking of it as a part of entertainment from the host.

It's too early to comment anything on this incident but looking at the past incidences, we know that smooching videos do attract media attention (remember Shahid-Kareena liplock clip?). And for media attention hungry Rakhi Samant or Mika, whose career is definitely on the rocks, they successful made it to the front page and achieved hours of free TV coverage.

So, it may or may not a publicity stunt. It may or may not be a true case of molestation. But it surely seems to be working well for Rakhi and Mika.