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Hello Jammu News at 5:13:00 PM 0


Mumbai, Jan 16 :  Veteran screenwriter Javed Akhtar is the latest from Bollywood to come out in defence of filmmaker Rajkumar Hirani, calling him the "most decent" person in the industry.

Hirani is the latest name to be called out for sexual harassment.

A woman detailed her allegations in an email dated November 3, 2018, to Hirani's frequent collaborator and "Sanju" co-producer Vidhu Vinod Chopra.

Akhtar took to Twitter to offer his support to the embattled director, who has categorically denied the allegations.

"I had come to the film industry in 1965. After the many years, if I am asked who the most decent people are in this industry over almost, perhaps the first name that will come to my mind is RAJU HIRANI. GB Shaw has said. 'It is too dangerous to be too good,'" the screenwriter wrote.

Hirani, known for his message-driven dramas such as "Munnabhai" series, "3 Idiots" and "PK", has been accused of sexual assault by a woman who worked with him on his 2018 film "Sanju".

In an article on HuffPost India, the woman, who calls herself "an assistant", 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 frequent collaborator and "Sanju" co-producer Vidhu Vinod Chopra.

The filmmaker, in a statement, called the allegation false, malicious and mischievous, which has the sole intention of destroying his reputation.

While the industry has largely been silent on the latest #MeToo case, Hirani's previous collaborators Arshad Warsi, Dia Mirza and Sharman Joshi have batted for the filmmaker.

Arshad, who found critical acclaim and love for his portrayal of Circuit in Hirani's "Munna Bhai" series, described the filmmaker as a "polite, nice and correct" person.

"I find it wrong to condemn somebody without proper proof or investigation. I would like to know the credibility of the accusation. Till all that is clear, I feel it is not right to accuse someone. I believe in innocent until proven guilty, not the other way around. Unfortunately, we just jump to conclusions," Warsi told PTI.

Dia, who worked with Hirani on films "Lage Raho Munna Bhai" and "Sanju", said she was "deeply distressed" by the allegations as the director was someone she respects a lot. The actor said she hopes a due official enquiry is conducted in the matter. 

"I am deeply distressed by this news. As someone who has known and respects 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. 

"As for the #MeToo movement, it rightfully encourages women to speak up and seek due process," Dia told PTI.

Sharman, whose portrayal of Raju Rastogi in Hirani's blockbuster "3 idiots" became immensely popular, hoped the phase the director is going through currently will pass.

"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 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," the actor told PTI.

Sharman had also offered support to the filmmaker on Twitter, using the #IStandForRajuHirani. 

India's #MeToo storm has engulfed many a stalwart such as Nana Patekar, Alok Nath, Vikas Bahl, Sajid Khan and former Union minister M J Akbar.                         PTI
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Hello Jammu News at 12:30:00 PM 0


Mumbai, Oct 16 (PTI) Actor-director Nandita Das Tuesday broke her silence over the sexual harassment allegations against her father, noted painter Jatin Das, stating that she will continue to lend support to the #MeToo movement.

A woman, who is the co-founder of a paper-making company, Tuesday came forward to claim that she was sexually harassed 14 years ago by Jatin Das, allegations which the painter dismissed as "vulgar".

In a Facebook post, Nandita said despite the "disturbing" allegations against her father, she would continue to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the women coming forward with stories of abuse and harassment.

She also warned that women need to be "sure" about their allegations before accusing someone.

"As a strong supporter of the #MeToo movement, I want to reiterate that I will continue to add my voice to it, despite the disturbing allegations made against my father, which he has categorically denied," she wrote on the social networking site.

"I have maintained from the very start that this is the time we all need to listen, so that women (and men) feel safe to speak up. At the same time, it is also important to be sure about allegations so as not to dilute the movement," the actor said. 

Nandita said she has received support from "friends and strangers - who are concerned and are trusting my integrity". 

"I do believe truth will prevail. And that is all I have to say on this matter," she asserted. 

Jatin Das is the latest addition to a growing list of men who have been named as part of the #MeToo campaign that has taken the country by storm.

The woman, Nisha Bora, took to Twitter to level the allegations against the noted painter. 

Describing the incident, Bora, who was 28-years-old then, said Das during a dinner event asked whether she "had the time and willingness to assist him for a few days to organise his work material", and after she gave her approval on the second day -- at his Khidki village studio -- he molested her.

"... He attempted to grab me. I wriggled out of his embrace, flustered. Then he did it again... I pushed him away and moved away from him.

"At that moment, he said 'Come on, it would be nice'. Or something like that. What I recall was his disbelief that I was pushing back. I picked my bag... and ran home. Never to speak about it. Until now," she said.

The Padma Bhushan awardee, however, has denied the allegations and said these days a "game" was going on to level allegations against people for the "fun" of it.

He labelled the allegations against him as "vulgar".

"I am shocked. All kinds of things are happening these days... Some people do things and some people make allegations. I don't know her, I have never met her, and even if I did meet somebody somewhere one doesn't behave like this... It is vulgar," Das told PTI.

"There is a game going on, some people are real, have done some things while some people are making allegations for the fun of it," he added. 
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Hello Jammu News at 3:13:00 PM 0


New Delhi, Oct 15 (PTI) In its first comments on the sexual harassment allegations against Union minister M J Akbar, the BJP said Monday he has given his version on the row and that it is not about whether the party agrees or disagrees with him.

Bharatiya Janata Party spokesperson G V L Narasimha Rao was asked at a press conference whether the ruling party agrees with Akbar on his statement on the allegations levelled against him by several women.

"It is not about agreeing or disagreeing. He has presented his version," Rao said.

The Minister of State of External Affairs had Sunday rejected the allegations as "false, fabricated and deeply distressing" and said he was taking appropriate legal action against the accusers.

BJP leaders and spokespersons had so far maintained a studied silence on the issue amid an increasing demand for the minister to quit his position.

Some woman Union minister have supported the #MeToo movement, which has encouraged women in different fields to come out with their stories of sexual harassment by men in powerful position over the years.

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Hello Jammu News at 1:57:00 PM 0


New Delhi, Oct 15 (PTI) The Youth Congress activists Monday staged a protest near the residence of Union minister MJ Akbar, demanding his "immediate resignation" over allegations of sexual misconduct by several female journalists.

The activists gathered at Teen Murti roundabout raised slogans against the junior foreign minister and tried to march towards his residence when they were stopped by the police. 

A few protesters who tried to march ahead towards police barricades were removed.

"The Indian Youth Congress (IYC) is protesting against MJ Akbar for his sexual misconduct and harassment of journalists. As many as ten female journalists have come forward and detailed sexual harassment by him," said a statement of the outfit.

The ruling coalition of NDA led by the BJP which had made tall promises of " Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao" cannot and must not be allowed to shield a man of "questionable conduct," it said.

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Hello Jammu News at 1:02:00 PM 0


Mumbai, Oct 15 (PTI) Veteran action director Sham Kaushal, who has been accused of sexual misconduct, Monday issued an apology, saying he has always tried to be a good person in his personal and professional life.


Writer Mahima Kukreja Sunday shared an account by an assistant director, named Nameeta Parekh, who has alleged that Kaushal invited her to his room for drinks when they were on an outdoor shoot in 2006 and when she declined, he began persuading her and even showed pornographic video on his phone.

Kaushal, who has films such as "Gangs of Wasseypur" and "Dangal" to his credit, took to Twitter to share his statement. 

The action director said he had read the allegations made against him by some crew member.

"Ever since I have been working in this industry I have tried my best to be a good human being professionally and personally, never wishing to hurt or disrespect anyone. I have read the allegations made against me by some crew members. 

"If I have unintentionally caused any hurt or anguish, I unconditionally apologise to the ladies, to the production houses and each and every member of the film fraternity," Kaushal wrote.

Kaushal's is the latest name from Bollywood to surface in the ever-growing list of people such as Sajid Khan, Subhash Ghai and Alok Nath, who have been 'outed' on social media on allegations ranging from sexual misconduct, harassment to rape.

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Hello Jammu News at 4:33:00 PM 0


Mumbai, Oct 13 (PTI) Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap has distanced himself from his "Gangs of Wasseypur" casting director Mukesh Chhabra, who has been accused of sexual harassment, saying he had "cut-off" ties with the him way back. 

Kashyap's response came after a Twitter used tagged him in a post saying the filmmaker had shared with her that he is planning to reveal the stories of Chhabra's "misogynistic ways". 

"So @anuragkashyap72 told me recently that if no one speaks out about @CastingChhabra and his misogynistic ways he will. He also said he has cut off all ties with Chhabra. Im holding you to this @anuragkashyap72 . Waiting. #metoo #timesup," the user wrote. 

In his reply, Kashyap said he does not have any evidence of misconduct against the well-known casting director. 

"I neither have any #MeToo stories nor evidence about mukesh Chhabra. I cut-off ties with him for lot's of reasons related to casting and reasons that I don't feel the need to put out in public domain," he tweeted.

Kashyap has recently been under fire for inaction in Vikas Bahl sexual harassment case.

Last year, a woman employee at Phantom Films, which had Bahl as one of the partners along side Kashyap, Vikramaditya Motwane and Madhu Mantena, had levelled allegations of molestation against Bahl, who she said behaved inappropriately during a trip to Goa.

In a recent article in Huffpost India, the woman has reiterated the allegations, sharing further details about the incident.

According to the report, in October 2015, the woman reached out to Kashyap and detailed her experience, but no action was taken while Bahl continued to harass her until she finally quit the company. 

Kashyap said he was "ill-advised" in the matter by his lawyers.

Apart from "Wasseypur" series, Chhabra has done casting for Kashyap's "Ugly" and "Bombay Velvet". 

In a latest report published on Mid-Day, four aspiring actors have accused Chhabra and another casting director Vicky Sidana of harassing them during audition process. 

Chhabra has denied the "unsubstantiated wild anonymous allegations" in a letter posted on his Twitter handle. 

"It is very unfortunate that years of hard work and building is been muzzled with a series of unsubstantiated wild anonymous allegations. To put it into perspective, we have a ICC committee put into the place for years and we could have appreciated if the complaint received could have been forwarded to the said committee for probe and investigation," the letter read. 

"This is a clearly motivated piece and we deny any incident as alleged took place," it further read. 

Chabbra is known for working on films such as "Dangal", "Rockstar", "Shahid" and "Kai Po Che!" among others.

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Hello Jammu News at 6:33:00 PM 0


New Delhi, Oct 12 (PTI) Delhi Commission for Women chief Swati Maliwal on Friday said she has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging him to remove Union Minister and former journalist M J Akbar from his post in the wake of allegations of sexual harassment against him.

Welcoming the #metoo movement, Maliwal urged all women and girls to come out and report any kind of sexual harassment.

This is the right time to please come out, please report so, all these sexual predators that are existing in our society, they need to be taken to task and they need to be put behind bars, she said.

I've also appealed to the Prime Minister through a letter today. Sir, please first of all remove Mr. M.J. Akbar from the post of minister in your central government. I think he does not deserve to be a minister anymore, she said. 

"Seven different women have reported very, very serious allegations of sexual harassment and molestation against this man. He has sexually assaulted all seven of them, that is what is being claimed," she said in a statement.

Several opposition parties have demanded the resignation of Akbar, who is the Minister of State for External Affairs.

Akbar has so far not offered any comment over the issue.

Maliwal said that she has appealed to the Prime Minister to set up fast track courts in country, increase police resources and fix responsibility of police so that faith of women can be restored in the system.

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Hello Jammu News at 12:18:00 PM 0


New Delhi, Oct 12 (PTI) Congress president Rahul Gandhi Friday came out in support of the #MeToo movement, saying it was about time that everyone learns to treat women with respect and dignity.


He also said he is happy that the space for those who don't treat women with respect and dignity is closing.

The #MeToo movement has gathered pace over the last fortnight with scores of women speaking out on sexual harassment at the workplace and support pouring in from various quarters. 

"It's about time everyone learns to treat women with respect and dignity. I'm glad the space for those who don't, is closing. The truth needs to be told loud and clear in order to bring about change," Gandhi tweeted along with the MeToo hashtag.

Demands have escalated for action against Union minister M J Akbar, who has been accused by several former women colleagues of sexual harassment when he served as editor at various media organisations.

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Hello Jammu News at 11:41:00 AM 0


Mumbai, Oct 10 (PTI) In the wake of the #MeToo movement, the Producers Guild of India announced Wednesday the formation of a special committee to look into matters of sexual harassment at the workplace within the industry.


The committee with filmmakers Kiran Rao and Ekta Kapoor among others as its members held its first meeting here Wednesday. 

"The Producers Guild of India is committed to work towards making workplaces in the industry safe spaces for everyone. In this regard a special committee has been instituted within the Guild to address the issue of sexual harassment at the workplace within our industry," a press release issued by the body said. 

Sneha Rajani (Committee Head), Apoorva Mehta, Ekta Kapoor, Fazila Allana, Jyoti Deshpande, Kiran Rao, Kulmeet Makkar, Madhu Bhojwani, Priti Shahani, Rohan Sippy, Siddharth Roy Kapur and Vijay Singh are the members of the committee, it said. 

The first meeting of the committee was held on Wednesday and it was resolved to immediately ensure that our members are sent a copy of the Gazette of India with notifications issued on Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace, so that they may implement these practices in their establishments at the earliest, if they have not done so already, the release said. 

To organize specialised workshops with the support of professional agencies, to guide our members in how to implement robust processes and best practices to deal with sexual harassment at their workplaces - whether in their offices or on the sets of their productions, it said. 

The Guild will also organize multiple sessions of these workshops over the coming weeks and months, to enable all our members and their teams to participate, it added. 

According to the release, the special committee that has been set in place will meet frequently in the coming days to ensure that this is an ongoing and sustained effort, that will lead to a safer environment for all members of our industry. 

The Guild in a statement issued Tuesday extended "complete support to the movement to call out and report sexual harassment and abuse whenever and wherever it occurs in our industry". 

It was Tanushree Dutta, who started the #MeToo movement in India last month, as she accused her co-star Nana Patekar of harassing her while shooting for a song for their 2008 film "Horn Ok Pleassss". 

Celebrities including Rajat Kapoor, Alok Nath, Abhijeet Bhattacharya, and Kailash Kher have been accused of sexual harassment.

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