False malicious story, says Rajkumar Hirani in statement as he refutes allegations of sexual misconduct

By Bollywood Reporter

on January 13, 2019

Filmmaker Rajkumar Hirani has refuted allegations of sexual misconduct levelled against him by a woman who worked with him in his 2018 film Sanju, and said in a statement issued on January 13 that it is a "false malicious and mischievous story being spread" in an attempt to destroy his reputation.

"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," Hirani said in his statement.

[caption id="attachment_196659" align="aligncenter" width="647"] Rajkumar Hirani[/caption]

According to a HuffPost India article on Sunday, the woman claimed that Hirani sexually abused her on more than one occasion over a six-month period between March and September 2018. Before Hirani's statement was made available to the press, his lawyer Anand Desai dubbed the allegations "false", "mischievous", "scandalous", "motivated" and "defamatory". Hirani, soon after, reiterated his lawyer's words in his statement.

"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," Hirani added in his statement.

The alleged victim made the charge in an email dated November 3, 2018 to Hirani's Sanju co-producer Vidhu Vinod Chopra. She also marked the mail to Vidhu's wife and film journalist Anupama Chopra as well as to Hirani's co-writer Abhijat Joshi, said the HuffPost India article.

[caption id="attachment_90744" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Rajkumar Hirani and Vidhu Vinod Chopra[/caption]

She claimed in the email that Hirani first made a sexually suggestive remark to her on April 9, 2018, and then sexually assaulted her at his home-cum-office. "I remember forming these words on my lips - 'Sir. This is wrong... Because of this power structure. You being the absolute power and me being a mere assistant, a nobody - I will never be able to express myself to you," she said in the mail.

While Vidhu Vinod Chopra did not respond to the complainant's allegations, his wife Anupama confirmed to HuffPost India that the woman had shared an account with her, that Vinod Chopra Films (VCF) has since set up a committee to address complaints of sexual harassment.

Rajkumar Hirani has made popular films such as the Munna Bhai series, 3 Idiots and PK.