In the wake of India’s #MeToo movement, Bollywood actor Aamir Khan has stepped away from his forthcoming film, which he was about to produce. The 53-year-old actor decided to do so saying “someone” associated with it had been accused of sexual harassment.
The untitled film was supposed to be produced by Aamir Khan Productions, jointly run by Aamir and his wife Kiran Rao.
On Wednesday, the couple issued a joint statement, which read: “Two weeks ago, when traumatic #MeToo stories began emerging, it was brought to our attention that someone we were about to begin work with has been accused of sexual misconduct. Upon enquiry we found that this particular case is sub judice, and that the legal process is in motion.”
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“We are not an investigative agency, nor are we in any position to pass judgment on anyone — that is for the police and judiciary to do. So, without casting any aspersions on anyone involved in this case, and without coming to any conclusions about these specific allegations, we have decided to step away from this film,” read the statement.
— Aamir Khan (@aamir_khan) October 10, 2018
Although Aamir did not mention any name is the statement, it was a known fact that filmmaker Subhash Kapoor, who was to direct the Gulshan Kumar biopic to be co-produced by Aamir Khan Productions, has a sexual harassment case pending against him since 2014.
Reacting to Khan’s announcement, Subhash Kapoor told PTI: “I understand and respect Aamir Khan’s and Kiran Rao’s decision. Since matter is sub judice, I intend to prove my innocence in the court of law.”
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In April 2014, One By Two actress Geetika Tyagi had filed a complaint in the Versova police station alleging that Subhash Kapoor tried to rape her. Kapoor was arrested following the complaint but was let out on bail.
Filmmaker Kiran Rao is also the Chairperson of Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival, which has dropped two movies — Rajat Kapoor’s Kadakh and AIB’s Chintu Ka Birthday — from its line-up in the wake of sexual harassment allegations against the actor-filmmaker and some members of the comedy collective.