Mumbai: Just when it seemed the #MeToo movement is petering out, a unit member of filmmaker Rajkumar Hirani has accused him of inappropriate behaviour. He was called out for misconduct during the making of Sanju, according to an article in HuffPost India, which was picked up by wire agency PTI and other news portals.
The woman, who calls herself as “an assistant”, has alleged that Hirani sexually abused her more than once between March and September 2018. She detailed her allegations in an email dated November 3, 2018, to Hirani’s long-time collaborator and “Sanju” co-producer Vidhu Vinod Chopra. Hirani has categorically denied the allegations. His lawyer Anand Desai termed the allegations as “false, mischievous, scandalous, motivated and defamatory”.
The woman has alleged that on April 9, 2018, the director first passed a sexually suggestive remark and later sexually assaulted her at his home office.”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,” she wrote of the April 9 incident in the email to Chopra, as quoted by HuffPost India. The woman said that Hirani was a father figure for her. “My mind, body and heart were grossly violated that night and for the next 6 months,” the email read.
