Monitoring Desk
MUMBAI: The film industry and cinema lovers alike are currently in shock as one of the most celebrated filmmakers in the industry; Rajkumar Hirani, has been accused of sexual misconduct by a woman who was working with him on his last release, Sanju. Hirani’s name has denied all the reports.
Rubbishing the allegations, Hirani said in an official statement, “I was completely shocked when these allegations were brought to my notice about two months back. I had suggested immediately that it is essential to take this matter to any committee or legal body. The complainant has chosen to go to the media instead. I want to very strongly state that this is a false malicious and mischievous story being spread with the sole intention of destroying my reputation.”
Now, the latest reports suggest that Hirani’s next project, Munna Bhai 3 has been put on hold till the time he gets a clean chit. Confirming the same, a source informed a leading tabloid, “In a meeting in late December, it was decided that Fox would pull the plug on Munna Bhai 3 if Hirani was found guilty. The studio stands in solidarity with the survivor. VVC Films too has taken the matter seriously, and dropped Hirani’s name from the promotional material of Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga. An ICC set up by VVC Films will investigate the matter. Munna Bhai 3, however, by default, is on hold till Hirani gets a clean chit,”
The alleged victim has accused him of sexually abusing her more than once over a period of six months, precisely between March and September 2018. The alleged assault happened during the post-production work of Sanju and the same was mentioned by the woman in an email addressed to producer Vidhu Vinod Chopra. His wife and film critic, Anupama Chopra was also marked on the mail along with a director of Vinod Chopra Films Pvt. Ltd and scriptwriter Abhijat Joshi.
In her e-mail dated November 3, 2018, the woman wrote, “I remember forming these words on my lips – “Sir. This is wrong…Because of this power structure. You being the absolute power and me being a mere assistant, a nobody – I will never be able to express myself to you. My mind, body and heart were grossly violated that night and for the next 6 months,”
The woman even stated that on April 9, 2018, Rajkumar Hirani first made a sexually suggestive remark and later sexually assaulted her at his home office. Talking about the incident in an interview with Huffington Post, the alleged victim said, “I had no choice but to be polite to him. It was unbearable but the reason I endured it all until I couldn’t, was because I didn’t want my job to be taken away from me, and work to be questioned. Ever. I was worried that if I left midway, it would be impossible to find another job in this industry if he were to speak badly about my work. Because if Hirani said I wasn’t good, everybody would listen. My future would be in jeopardy.”
Hirani’s lawyer Anand Desai denied all the allegations in an official statement which said, “At the outset, our client states that the allegations made against him are false, mischievous, scandalous, motivated and defamatory,”
