False, malicious, mischievous: Rajkumar Hirani denies sexual harassment allegations

Filmmaker Rajkumar Hirani has denied the sexual harassment allegations made against him by a woman who worked on his 2018 film, Sanju. In an official statement, the 56-year-old director said, “I was completely shocked when these allegations were brought to my notice about two months back. I had suggested immediately that it is essential to take this matter to any committee or any 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.”

In a recent exposé, the survivor has accused Hirani of sexually abusing her on more than one occasion over a six-month period between March and September, 2018. According to the report, she had also sent a complaint via email to Sanju co-producer Vidhu Vinod Chopra, marking his wife Anupama Chopra, writer Abhijat Joshi and filmmaker Shelly Chopra.

It’s been surmised that the allegations have strained the professional partnership between Hirani and Chopra. Earlier, Hirani’s name was dropped as co-producer from the upcoming Anil Kapoor-Sonam Kapoor starrer film, Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga. We now hear that Hirani’s upcoming project, Munna Bhai 3, which was recently confirmed to be in the works by actor Arshad Warsi, has also been put on hold.

Rajkumar Hirani is known for directing popular comedy/social drama films like Munna Bhai M.B.B.S., Lage Raho Munna Bhai, 3 Idiots and PK. Sanju, his fifth feature film starring Ranbir Kapoor as controversial actor Sanjay Dutt, was a major commercial hit.