The ‘Me Too’ movement has gripped Bollywood and it will only loosen its hold once all the assailants have answered for their crimes! In a shocking revelation, half a dozen of women have accused Farah Khan’s brother and filmmaker Sajid Khan for sexually assaulting them.
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On Thursday, three women— actor Rachel White from ‘Ungli’, assistant director Saloni Chopra from TV series ‘Screwed Up’ and journalist Karishma Upadhyay came ahead with their tales of sexual harassment at the hands of Sajid Khan.
Rachel White narrated how Sajid Khan told her that she would get a role in 2014’s ‘Humshakals’ if she could ‘seduce him in five minutes’. Journalist Karishma Upadhyay claimed that Sajid Khan forcibly tried kissing her during an interview in the early 2000s. Whereas, in a blog post Saloni Chopra wrote that Sajid Khan would mentally, emotionally and sexually harass her.
Upon hearing these allegations, actor Akshay Kumar has asked the makers of the film ‘Housefull 4’ to cancel the shooting immediately till the ones harassed have been given the justice they deserve!
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In the light of these events, actor Akshay Kumar has cancelled the shoot and Sajid Khan has stepped down from the director’s pedestal of Housefull 4!
— Akshay Kumar (@akshaykumar) October 12, 2018
Actor Simran Suri is the fourth woman accusing director Sajid Khan of sexual harassment. She tweeted:
I kept thinking all these years @whitespeaking to talk about this a## @SimplySajidK and what stopped me was that nobody would listen. He did exactly the same with me while he was casting for Himmatwala. Called me to his juju house and asked me to strip. https://t.co/BSNnMFjv9K
— Simran Suri (@29simran) October 12, 2018
Speaking to Indian Express, she added that Sajid was casting for 2012’s Himmatwala when he called her for an audition to his house. “He was on his treadmill, wearing an undershirt. He said, ‘See, my body is so good!’ I was wondering why a man, who is supposed to be in a professional meeting, wearing sandos! I felt really weird. After some time, he asked me to strip. I was shocked but he said, ‘I am the director. I will have to see your body’,” she is quoted as saying in the report.
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It is clear by his tweet that Akshay will not work with any of the accused members of the industry until investigation into the matter is over. As revealed by a source close to the actor, disciplinarian Akshay Kumar has never once cancelled a shoot in 28 years of his career but his choice is correct as the accusations made are extremely grave in nature.
Prior Akshay Kumar’s return to India his wife Twinkle Khanna tweeted that the makers of ‘Housefull 4’ should take a firm stance in light of the accusations made against Sajid Khan.
Appalled hearing multiple incidents of harassment and it is truly horrific to hear what these women have been through. Everyone involved in Housefull needs to take a firm stance on this issue. This cannot go on.
— Twinkle Khanna (@mrsfunnybones) October 12, 2018
These are not the only women who got harassed at the hands of Sajid Khan. Aisha actress Amrita Puri too is a victim and shared her #MeToo story and wrote in her tweet that even she was warned about Sajid Khan’s alleged misconduct with colleagues. She tweeted:
It was fairly well known that @SimplySajidK is a creep and is completely inappropriate as far as his conduct with women goes. I was warned to stay away from him if I ever came across him. I refuse to believe that it has come as a surprise to ppl from the industry or his family.
— Amrita Puri (@_Amrita_Puri) October 12, 2018
However true must be the allegations made by Amrita Puri, but alleging that his entire family knew about his behaviour has diappointed Farhan Akhtar. Mr Akhtar tweeted to say that he disagreed with her ‘conspiracy theory.’
I deeply resent your insinuation that me or my family knew of his behaviour yet did nothing. Your anger is justified. Your conspiracy theories not. @_Amrita_Puri https://t.co/MCLptZioWR
— Farhan Akhtar (@FarOutAkhtar) October 13, 2018
To which Amrita aplogized to Akhtar but without agreeing on the fact that industry isn’t aware of Sajid’s creepy demands and sexual misconduct.
My tweet was not directed to you. Are you related? Pardon my ignorance. Also it’s not fair to generalise as I did. My apologies. However @SimplySajidK’s misconducts were fairly well known. I’m surprised that it’s come as a shock.
— Amrita Puri (@_Amrita_Puri) October 13, 2018
Mr Akhtar wrote the filmmaker has to ‘atone for his alleged actions,’ while sister Farah Khan said that ‘This is a heartbreaking time for my family.’
I cannot adequately stress how shocked, disappointed and heartbroken I am to read the stories about Sajid’s behaviour.
I don’t know how but he will have to find a way to atone for his alleged actions.— Farhan Akhtar (@FarOutAkhtar) October 12, 2018
This is a heartbreaking time for my family.We have to work through some very difficult issues. If my brother has behaved in this manner he has a lot to atone for.I don’t in any way endorse this behavior and Stand in solidarity with any woman who has been hurt.
— Farah Khan (@TheFarahKhan) October 12, 2018
After facing the heat from the film fraternity, Sajid Khan has stated that he is stepping down from the directorial post of ‘Housefull 4’. The statement further says that he hopes that ‘his friends in the media’ will not pass any judgement until the investigations are over.
— Sajid Khan (@SimplySajidK) October 12, 2018
Farhad Samji direct Housefull 4 after Sajid Khan stepped down.
Since Tanushree Dutta has blew the whistle against Nana Patekar for sexually assaulting her, other celebrities such as Alok Nath, Kailash Kher, Rajat Kapoor and Vikas Bahl have been outed as sexual predators.
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