Filmmaker Rajkumar Hirani has been accused of sexual assault by a woman who worked with him in his 2018 film Sanju. Hirani has categorically denied the allegation.
Lyricist and screenwriter Javed Akhtar is the latest from the film fraternity to come to the director’s defence. He took to social media to comment on the matter.
“I had come to the film industry in 1965. After so many years if I am asked who are the most decent people you met in this industry over almost 5 decades, perhaps the first name that will come to my mind is RAJU HIRANI (sic). G.B Shaw has said . ‘it is too dangerous to be too good’”Javed Akhtar
Sanju actor Karishma Tanna told a news portal: “I would like to say that whoever is trying to do it, is very immature. Someone like him, a veteran and a respectable director and producer like him, I cannot even think of it. I have worked with him and it has been a brilliant pleasure and outstanding experience. When I heard the news, more than being shocked I was very upset.”
Arshad Warsi who plays the character of Circuit in Hirani’s Munnabhai series has also come to Hirani’s defence.
“I don’t know how much truth is there or how credible this accusation is. Has the proper investigation been done? I don’t know about all that. I personally don’t like to jump to conclusions and pass my judgement and suddenly start looking at a person differently... He is a lovely guy. My association with him is so long, and I have never seen one wrong thing about him... I have never seen him behaving badly or doing anything incorrect.”Arshad Warsi
Boney Kapoor reacted to the allegation against the filmmaker. "Rajkumar Hirani is too good a man to do something like this," he said.
"I don't believe this allegation. He can never do something like this," Kapoor reportedly said to ANI.
Emraan Hashmi also said that he would not like to comment on it until the allegation is proven. "I don't want to comment on this. It's just an allegation. Nothing has been proved as of yet. The director has already dismissed the allegations. Till the time something is not proven, I don't think it right to comment on this," Hashmi said.
"It is wrong if something like this has happened. Some proof should be provided if something like this has taken place. #MeeToo has become a trend where people are coming up with new allegations every day," added Hashmi to ANI.
Sharman Joshi on Monday said he stands by his 3 Idiots director.
Sharman tweeted a note saying, "Raju Sir is a man of immense integrity, character, honour, compassion and truthfulness, all the virtues one would imagine are non-existent in people today, someone I am absolutely inspired by and have learnt from and because of whom I believe I have gone onto being a better person. All I want to say, Sir is that this too shall pass and I can imagine how demeaning it might be to even stand up for yourself in a situation such as this," Sharman added with a 'I Stand For Raju Hirani' hashtag.
Dia Mirza, who starred in his film, Sanju reacted to the news and said that she was deeply distressed after hearing about it.
“I am deeply distressed by this news. As someone who has known and respect Raju Sir for 15 years, I can only hope that a due official enquiry is conducted. He is one of the most decent human beings I have ever worked with and I think it would be grossly unjust on my part to speak on this as I do not know the details”Dia Mirza to Pinkvilla
The 56-year-old filmmaker has denied the allegations. A statement issued by his lawyer Anand Desai dubbed the allegations "false", "mischievous", "scandalous", "motivated" and "defamatory".
In a statement issued soon after the article went viral, Hirani said: "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 any 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”.
Vinta Nanda, who recently shared how veteran actor Alok Nath allegedly raped her, tweeted without taking any names: “The latest on #MeToo is so disturbing. Who is it that women can trust? Can’t deal with these words anymore – “At the outset, our client states that the allegations made against him are false, mischievous, scandalous, motivated and defamatory.”
Veteran actor Amardeep Jha, who has worked with Hirani in films like 3 Idiots and PK, said: “I’m shocked. I cannot even believe this. He was a man whom I used to look up to. On the sets, he used to be like a walking angel. After hearing the news, I have lost my mental peace. This is something that will be running in my head for so long. I cannot pass any judgement on the girl but I strongly believe he cannot do this. But I really hope and pray that whosoever is the innocent his/her truth should be out and should get justice.”
(Source: Pinkvilla, Indian Express)
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