Sad MeToo Movement Reduced to Mere Tool for Character Assassination: Anurag Kashyap's Laywer

Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap has released an official statement via his lawyer regarding the sexual harassment allegation levelled against him by actress Payal Ghosh. In the statement, Kashyap’s lawyer Priyanka Khimani has stated that her client has been “deeply pained” by the “false” allegations of sexual misconduct that have recently surfaced against him.

Kashyap issued the statement on his official Twitter account. “These allegations are completely false, malicious and dishonest. It is sad that a social movement as important as the #metoo movement has been co-opted by vested interests and reduced to a mere tool for character assassination. Fictitious allegations of this nature seriously undermine the movement and seek to unconscionably trade upon the pain and trauma of actual victims of sexual harassment and abuse. My client has been fully advised of his rights and remedies in law and intends to pursue them to the fullest extent,” the statement read.

On Saturday, Ghosh took to Twitter and wrote that the “Gangs of Wasseypur” director was sexually inappropriate towards her. The 30-year-old actor tagged Prime Minister Narendra Modi in her tweet, requesting him to take action against Kashyap.

In a series of Twitter posts in Hindi, Kashyap dismissed the allegations, calling it an attempt to “silence” him. The 48-year-old director has been vocal against the criticism and vilification of Bollywood by celebrities and trolls.

“Such a long time was taken to shut me up, never mind. (But) while shutting me up, you lied so much that you dragged other women also in it. Please maintain some dignity madam. All I will say is that all your allegations are baseless,” Kashyap tweeted.