page_title: Priya Kapoor
section_title: Harassment
hierarchical_section_title: Priya Kapoor / Development / Harassment
caption_attribution_description: English: Portrait of Australian actor Paul Denny.
context_page_description: Priya Kapoor is a fictional character from the Australian television soap opera Neighbours, played by Menik Gooneratne. The actress, who made a guest appearance in Neighbours in 2000, was given the role of Priya in July 2011. She made her first screen appearance during the episode broadcast on 1 September 2011. Three months later, it was announced Gooneratne had been promoted to the regular cast along with Sachin Joab and Coco Cherian, who play Priya's husband and daughter respectively. The Kapoor's arrival marked the show's first family with Indian and Sri Lankan heritage. They also became the first family to be introduced since 2010. Gooneratne's departure from Neighbours was announced on 12 March 2013 and she made her final screen appearance on 10 June.
  Priya is a school principal, who is married to local lawyer, Ajay Kapoor. The couple married when they were young because they were expecting their daughter, Rani. Both Priya and Ajay unintentionally put their careers before their marriage. Priya has been described as being both feisty and determined, while Gooneratne called her a high achiever and uptight.
context_section_description: In February 2013, Priya began receiving anonymous "lewd" text messages. Priya believes the sender behind the texts is a student at the school called Alistair O'Loughlin (Rahart Sadiqzai), especially as he has taunted her in the past. However, Priya soon learns that the texts have been sent by Alistair's father, Brian (Paul Denny), a member of the school board. Gooneratne commented "Brian thinks he has Priya backed into a corner and can use the information to his advantage." Brian's "cowardly act" pushes Priya to the edge and she later breaks down and confesses everything about the texts to Ajay. Gooneratne told TV Week's Thomas Mitchell that the fact Brian is the sender of the texts, is what prompts Priya to tell Ajay. She realised how dangerous and serious the situation is. Ajay realises that Priya was in danger without him knowing and it helps him to accept that they need to "mend their rift". Ajay sees that Priya is "a broken woman" and he agrees to attend counselling sessions with her, something that she had been pushing him to do. Gooneratne said that if the couple want to fix their relationship, they are moving in the right direction.
  After Priya reports Brian to the police, she assumes the matter is over. However, she is "stunned" to learn that Brian has told the school board that she was the one harassing him. Priya is then suspended from her job. Gooneratne told an Inside Soap journalist "After the story about Priya's affair with Paul gets out, Brian uses it as a way to manipulate her. But she doesn't bow to his demands, so she makes up all sorts of claims – leading to this debacle." Things get worse for Priya when she discovers her friend, Susan Kennedy (Jackie Woodburne), has been offered her job. Gooneratne called it "a kick in the teeth for Priya", but thought that her character would want Susan to have her job, rather than someone else. Brian later offers to drop the allegations, but only if Priya spends the night with him. Gooneratne thought Brian was "a real creep" and explained that he thinks that because Priya had an affair with Paul, then she would be up for something similar with him. The actress added that Brian's suggestion makes Priya's skin crawl.
caption: Priya is harassed by Brian O'Loughlin, played by Paul Denny (pictured).
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