After serious allegations of sexual assault surface against top film director, sources tell mid-day that Super 30 producers are seriously considering leaving out his name; Hrithik Roshan too releases strong statement against wrongdoing
Upala KBR (MID-DAY; October 9, 2018)

Yesterday, mid-day had reported that filmmaker Vikas Bahl — currently in the eye of a storm owing to accusations of sexual harassment — is likely to be kept away from promotional work of his next, Super 30. In a development that may spell further trouble for the filmmaker, the makers of the Hrithik Roshan-starrer are likely to take a cue from the goings-on in the West, and deny giving him credit as director on the project.

A trade insider tells mid-day, "Co-producer Reliance Entertainment is seriously considering dropping Vikas's name from the credit roll. That is what all corporate firms are doing in Hollywood." The development follows the dissolution of Phantom Films, which was co-producing Super 30 along with Reliance Entertainment and Sajid Nadiadwala. Given that Bahl is currently looking into the post-production work for the venture — inspired by math wiz Anand Kumar's life — he is likely to be told to dissociate from the project following its completion.

Yesterday, leading man Roshan also took to social media to urge the co-producers of the film to take a "hard stand" against Bahl, should the allegations stand true. "It is impossible for me to work with any person if he/she is guilty of such grave misconduct. I am away and have access to some sporadic information. I have requested the producers of Super 30 to take stock of the apparent facts and take a hard stand if need be. This is not to be hushed or brushed under the carpet," he wrote on Facebook.

mid-day reached out to the quartet — Bahl, Anurag Kashyap, Vikramaditya Motwane and Madhu Mantena — that comprised Phantom Films. A source close to Kashyap stated that he couldn't comment since he was recuperating following two surgeries, Motwane replied with a pithy: "Not my film, not my company anymore." Reliance Entertainment and Nadiadwala remained unavailable for comment.

Taking a cue from Hollywood
- Following accusations of sexual assault levied against The Weinstein Company founder Harvey Weinstein, the producer's name was dropped from all of the company's TV series, on which he had served as an executive producer.

- Kevin Spacey too was removed from Ridley Scott's completed thriller, All The Money In The World, and replaced with Christopher Plummer, following multiple allegations of sexual harassment.