In December 2017, Lipstick Under My Burkha director Alankrita Shrivastava told The Hindu she was disappointed that the #MeToo movement didn’t find resonance in India, specifically the film industry. She probably didn’t anticipate how #MeToo would sweep the nation in 2018. Tanushree Dutta’s ten-year-old sexual harassment claims against Nana Patekar resurfaced in September earlier this year. The incident became a catalyst that would bring to fore an alarming and frightening number of sexual harassment and misconduct cases that defined the Indian #MeToo movement. Here are the men of Bollywood who made headlines under #MeToo.
NANA PATEKAR
While shooting the 2009 film Horn ‘Ok’ Pleassss, actor Tanushree Dutta accused Nana Patekar of sexually harassing her while filming a dance number. Dutta also accused the film’s choreographer Ganesh Acharya, director Rakesh Sarang and producer Samee Siddique of ganging up against her. She claimed that Patekar involved members of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) to vandalise her car. She also said that her complaint registered with the Cine And TV Artistes’ Association (CINTAA) was closed without proper investigation. Eventually, CINTAA sent Patekar a show-cause notice asking for an explanation. In October, Dutta filed a fresh complaint with the police against Patekar after which the latter sent her a notice leading to legal proceedings. During her interviews, the actor also revealed that director Vivek Agnihotri had asked her to strip on the set of his 2005 film Chocolate. Subsequently, Agnihotri sent Dutta a legal notice denying all her claims. MNS workers too filed police complaints in Maharashtra against Dutta for maligning their party.
SAJID KHAN
Four women accused Sajid Khan of sexual misconduct. In an elaborate Medium post, actor Saloni Chopra recounted Khan’s inappropriate interview questions along with his verbal abuse and other details. Journalist Karishma Upadhyay used Twitter to reveal her harrowing experience. Actor Rachel White also tweeted about her encounter with Khan. Actor Simran Suri, during a television interview, recalled her audition for the filmmaker’s Himmatwala (2013) when the filmmaker misbehaved with her. After dropping out of directing Housefull 4, Khan received a year-long suspension from the Indian Film and Television Directors’ Association (IFTDA) in December.
VIKAS BAHL
A former employee of Phantom Films (co-founded by Anurag Kashyap, Madhu Mantena, Vikamaditya Motwane and Vikas Bahl), accused Bahl of sexual harassment. The complaint was in light of an incident that occurred after the pre-release party of the film Bombay Velvet (2015). Following the media storm surrounding the allegations, Phantom Films announced its dissolution. Shortly thereafter, Motwane and Kashyap both released statements admitting their knowledge of the accusations. Bahl slapped legal notices on his former business partners claiming professional rivalry and jealousy. During the hearing with the former partners, the survivor was asked to present her statement. But she instead chose not to pursue a criminal case against Bahl. As a result, Bahl has been dropped from the credits of Hrithik Roshan film Super 30 and been sent a show-cause notice terminating his membership from the Indian Film & Television Directors' Association (IFTDA).
ALOK NATH
Veteran writer-producer Vinta Nanda in a Facebook post wrote about Alok Nath’s sexual assault on her, two decades ago. The Cine and TV Artists’ Association (CINTAA) expelled Nath from its membership in light of the allegations after demanding an explanation which went unanswered. In November, an FIR of rape under the Indian Penal Code had been registered against Nath based on Nanda’s application. As of December 26, Nath had been denied interim protection from arrest in the case on the third day of his anticipatory bail application.
SUBHASH GHAI
An anonymous woman used social media to contact writer Mahima Kukreja (who kickstarted the #MeToo movement on Twitter with her complaints against comedian Utsav Chakraborty). She revealed how Ghai drugged and raped her. In another instance, actor Kate Sharma too accused the filmmaker of sexual misconduct, going so far as to file a complaint with the police. But after being disappointed with the way her case was being handled, Sharma has withdrawn her case.
RAJAT KAPOOR
Journalist Sandhya Menon shared screenshots of her conversation with two women who claimed Rajat Kapoor harassed them. One, a journalist was verbally harassed during a phone interview. The other woman, a former assistant director, said she was harassed by Kapoor who persistently kept calling her to shoot in an “empty house”. Another woman, who at the time was 19 (but first met Kapoor when she was 15) recounted an incident where Kapoor tried to repeatedly kiss her. After admitting to his behaviour, Kapoor apologised on Twitter. As a result of the accusations, the Mumbai Academy of Moving Image (MAMI) dropped Kapoor’s film, Kadhakh, from the 20th edition of the Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival.
ANU MALIK
In 1996, Alisha Chinai, Anu Malik’s co-judge on the reality show had dragged him to court for sexual harassment. They settled the matter privately. In an Instagram post, singer Sona Mohapatra revealed how Anu Malik sexually harassed her in 2007-08. Singer Shweta Pandit also shared an Instagram post about Malik asking her to kiss him when she was only 15. Two other women spoke up about Malik’s sexual misconduct. An aspiring singer, revealed how the composer lifted her skirt and dropped his pants at his home. The other woman recounted an incident in Malik’s car where he forced her to perform oral sex on him. Subsequently, Sony Entertainment Television released a statement that said Malik, who’s been with the show since the beginning in 2004, had stepped down from the jury panel of Indian Idol which recently aired its tenth season.
KAILASH KHER
While outing Anu Malik’s alleged behaviour, singer Sona Mohapatra took to social media to accuse Kailash Kher of inappropriate behaviour as well. He put “a hand on my thigh with lines likes, your so beautiful, feel so good that a ‘musician got you’ (Ram) not an actor,” she said. Despite the singer denying the claims, several other women spoke up about their own experiences. Kher’s family friend shared details of a 2014 incident anonymously. Journalist Natasha Hemrajani also accused Kher of engaging in sexual misconduct in 2006. A fan of Kher, Simran Soni shared how her interaction with the singer quickly took a predatory turn.
SOUMIK SEN
and co-founder of Ellipsis Entertainment Atul Kasbekar of being complicit. When contacted, Kasbekar claimed that the film’s “producers have not received any complaint of inappropriate behaviour by Mr. Sen from any female member in the crew, during the shooting of India”.
