Film put on hold as ‘3 idiots’ maker Rajkumar Hirani accused of sexual harassment

One of the most celebrated Bollywood director Rajkumar Hirani has been accused of sexual misconduct by his assistant who worked with him on his 2017 film ‘Sanju’.

According to a report in HuffPost India, Hirani allegedly sexually abused her more than once between March and September 2018. The report also says that the female assistant made her allegation in an email dated November 3, 2018, to filmmaker Vidhu Vinod Chopra, who has been Hirani’s collaborator on a number of movies, including ‘Sanju’.

The woman said that on April 9, 2018, the director first passed a sexually suggestive remark to her and later sexually assaulted her at his home office. The woman said that Hirani was a father figure for her. “My mind, body and heart were grossly violated that night and for the next six months,” the email read.

In his statement, Hirani has denied the allegations. “I was completely shocked when these allegations were brought to my notice about two months ago. I had suggested immediately that it is essential to take this matter to any committee or legal body. The complainant has chosen to go to the media instead. I want to very strongly state that this is a false malicious and mischievous story being spread with the sole intention of destroying my reputation,” he said.

Quite obviously, people on Twitter are shocked and are finding it difficult to believe that Hirani could be embroiled in a #MeToo controversy.

In light of recent allegation, Hiran's name has been removed as co-producer of Sonam Kapoor’s upcoming film ‘Ek Ladki Ko Dekha To Aesa Laga’, his next film ‘Munna Bhai 3’ has also been put on hold.