BOMBAY TIMES (October 13, 2018)

Tanushree Dutta’s sexual harassment allegations against Nana Patekar opened a Pandora’s box of similar horror stories that Bollywood is trying hard to cope with. The latest member of the film fraternity who has been accused of sexual harassment by multiple women is filmmaker Sajid Khan. Incidentally, Patekar also happens to be a part of Khan’s next film, Housefull 4.

After the allegations, Twinkle Khanna tweeted on Friday morning, “Appalled hearing multiple incidents of harassment and it is truly horrific to hear what these women have been through. Everyone involved in Housefull 4 needs to take a firm stance on this issue. This cannot go on.”

Within a few minutes, Akshay Kumar, who was shooting for the film recently, released a statement which read, “I’ve just landed back in the country last night and reading all the news has been very disturbing. I’ve requested the producers of Housefull 4 to cancel the shoot until further investigation. This is something that requires stringent action. I will not work with any proven offenders and all those who have been subjugated to harassment should be heard and given the justice they deserve.”

Soon, Sajid Khan tweeted that he was stepping down as the film’s director. His statement said, “In the wake of the allegations against me and the pressure being put on my family, my producer and the stars of my film Housefull 4, I must take the moral responsibility of stepping down from my directorial post, till the time I can allay the allegations and prove the truth.”

Sajid has been accused by three people of sexual harassment – a former assistant, an actress and a senior journalist. The former assistant director of the filmmaker has narrated an account of being repeatedly harassed and being subjected to misbehaviour and abuse by Sajid Khan. She shared how he called her at odd hours and asked her to send bikini photos. She also wrote that he touched her inappropriately and passed indecent comments about her.

In her account, the actress said that she was called by the director to his house, and although uncomfortable, she went because he told her that he lives with his mother. At his home, Sajid allegedly asked her to strip as he wanted to see how she looks in a bikini. He told her if she could seduce him in five minutes, the role was hers.

Recounting her experience with Sajid, the senior journalist wrote that in early 2000s when she had gone to his apartment to interview him, “he talked about how large his penis is and how he knew how to satisfy a woman.” He also flashed her and forced his tongue down her throat. When he met her after a couple of years, he passed a snide comment, “You are fatter than you used to be. I won’t touch you with a barge pole.” Reacting to this news, Farhan Akhtar (Sajid’s cousin), who has been strongly showing his solidarity and support for the #MeToo movement, put out a message on social media that read, “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.”
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MUMBAI MIRROR (October 13, 2018)

On Friday, the #MeToo fire in Bollywood raged on with Sajid Khan stepping down as the director of the upcoming Housefull 4 after over five women levelled sexual harassment allegations against him. Tweets in support of the movement from the A-list cast of his comedy, as well as sister Farah and cousin Farhan Akhtar followed in quick succession.

Housefull 4 leading man Akshay Kumar was the first one to address the issue, saying, “This is something that requires stringent action. I will not work with any proven offender.”  He was followed by co-stars Kriti Sanon, Bobby Deol and Riteish Deshmukh, who echoed his statement.

Meanwhile, Sajid’s sister Farah tweeted, “This is a heartbreaking time for my family. We must 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 behaviour and I stand in solidarity with any woman who has been hurt.”