Was Ajay Devgn’s #MeToo fatwa meant for Luv Ranjan?

By Team Peeping Moon

on October 13, 2018

The big question Bollywood trade circles are asking in the wake of #MeToo is what’s going to happen to the two films, De De Pyaar De and an untitled one, that Ajay Devgn was working on with director Luv Ranjan? Ranjan, who got famous with Pyaar Ka Punchnama and Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety, has been accused of sexual harassment by an actor at producer Kumar Mangat’s office when she went for an audition call from casting director Vicky Sidana.

Ranjan subsequently rubbished the allegation which the anonymous actress described in lurid detail. “It’s so absurd that I don’t know what to say except that I deny it. I don’t know how to react to an anonymous allegation beyond this and am willing to face any legitimate enquiry,” Ranjan added. However, by then Devgn had issued his own fatwa in support of “MeToo and said he would not tolerate misconduct and vowed to take action against anyone accused of such behaviour within his company. “I’m disturbed by all the happenings with regards to #MeToo. My company and I believe in providing women with utmost respect and safety. If anyone has wronged even a single woman, neither Ajay Devgn Films nor I will stand for it,” the actor-producer tweeted.

Ranjan had been riding high after Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety and got Devgn and Ranbir Kapoor for his next directorial that was to go on the floors in mid-2019. PeepingMoon.com learned that the powerhouse actors were playing father and son in this untitled film that was a heartland drama and unlike Ranjan’s staunchly chauvinistic comedies of before.

The female lead was kept open and the rumour was that Ileana D’Cruz was the top contender for the role. Until PeepingMoon.com revealed that Ranjan’s heroine was reportedly going to Deepika Padukone! But now with Devgn coming out strongly against anybody in Bollywood named as having sexually harassed women, trade pundits are wondering if he specifically meant Ranjan and what’s going to happen to the two films they are collaborating on.