This just in: Sanjay Dutt doesn’t believe that the allegations on Rajkumar Hirani, the director of his biopic, Sanju, of sexually harassing a woman are true.
One of Hirani’s former employees, who worked with him on Sanju, which happens to be the biopic on Dutt that was criticised by many for being blatantly biased, told Huffpost India that Hirani allegedly sexually harassed her for months. Everyone was looking at Bollywood at this point because Hirani was one of the most influential celebrities who had been named in the ongoing #metoo moment in India. How Bollywood reacted, especially the vocal supporters of equal rights, was going to be its real litmus test.
But mostly everyone either chose to stay quiet, or chip in with their two cents about how they do not believe the survivor of Hirani’s abuse. Why? Oh because they have worked with him in the past, and he never misbehaved with them. Conveniently enough, the same celebrities weren’t shy about condemning some of the lesser influential celebs like Alok Nath, Sajid Khan, and Vikas Bahl when they were accused of sexual harassment.
In a recent interview, he was asked if he thought Munna Bhai 3 would be taking off anytime soon given the accusations against Hirani. He said, “I don’t believe in those allegations. I have worked with him in so many films, it’s been so many years and I don’t know why that lady is putting these allegations. It does not make sense to any one of us. If you have some allegations, file an FIR, do something. But Raju Hirani and those kind of allegations, I don’t think so.”
It’s interesting how Dutt urged the “lady” in question to do something about the alleged harassment while at the same time condemning her for doing exactly that.
Hirani himself also denied all accusations through his lawyer. But, a fair investigation was supposed to be under way. Only time will tell, if this also gets brushed under the red carpets along with the many “controversies” that come out of Bollywood, involving the big wigs.
