Singer and motivational speaker Raageshwari Loomba Swaroop speaks in support of director Rajkumar Hirani
Debarati Sen (BOMBAY TIMES; January 16, 2019)

Till just a few days ago, Rajkumar Hirani was not only the most sought-after filmmaker in the industry, but also one who was synonymous with everything that’s squeaky clean (given his slate of movies). Ever since he was accused of sexual harassment by a woman, there has been a deathly silence from all the people he has worked with over the years. While prominent names in Bollywood (including his close associates, filmmaker Vidhu Vinod Chopra and his co-writer on many movies, writer Abhijat Joshi), are keeping mum on the issue, there are a few like Boney Kapoor, Arshad Warsi, Dia Mirza and Sharman Joshi who have come out in support of the filmmaker.

The latest to come out in support of Hirani is singer-motivational speaker Raageshwari Loomba Swaroop, who has known the filmmaker for over two decades. She feels that one should not resort to ‘trial by social media’ in all #MeToo cases. “The #Metoo movement on one hand is constructive, but on the other, destructive due to the dangers of the ‘Trial by Social Media’. If you are an accused, especially a man, you are immediately termed ‘guilty’,” she elaborated.

Vouching for him as a person, and as an actress who used to work in Bollywood, Raageshwari states, “After knowing Raju for almost 20 years, I can safely say that he is amongst the most cultured, refined and peerless men I have met in the film industry. I’m not speaking as an actress cementing bonds, hence I speak with utmost honesty and with zero agenda here. I speak as a family friend and most importantly, as a woman.”

The filmmaker has denied all allegations levied against him.