Vikas Bahl offered me to share his room when I complained about my two star hotel, says Queen actress Nayani Dixit

After news of Phantom Films’ dissolution and sexual harassment allegations against  _Queen_ director (and co-founder of Phantom) Vikas Bahl , Bollywood Hungama reports actress Nayani Dixit, who played Kangana Ranaut ’s friend Sonal in the film, has also levelled allegations against the filmmaker. [caption id=“attachment_5343691” align=“alignnone” width=“825”] Vikas Bahl (left) and Nayani Dixit (right). Image from Facebbok[/caption] As Dixit recounts, Bahl’s overtures were met with a stringent reaction from her where she told him, “Main tumhe maarungi (I’ll hit you) if you do this again.” Bahl got furious at Dixit’s refusal. The very next day, Bahl, as per Dixit, “blasted” her for something that went wrong with her hair. Since it was not her area of concern, Vikas’ anger on her was what surprised her. Dixit now concludes it may have been his bitterness on being refused. On another instance, when the cast were put up at a two star hotel, Dixit voiced her discomfort with it. Bahl, on hearing this, promptly said that she could share her room with him. His audacity shocked Dixit. Nayani goes on to narrate another instance when Bahl’s ‘flirtatious’ behaviour even made a 21 year old girl (working in the costume department of Queen) very uncomfortable. The girl confided in Nayani later and even Ranaut was witness to Bahl’s attitude. The actress added that she was given a 6x6 space which was supposed to be her vanity van. The entire props and costumes for the production were stored in that place along with the chest to keep them in. Hair and make-up assistants were crammed into the same space. Even the bathroom in her van was not used with permission. People would randomly barge in and use the washroom. Dixit says there was an instance when her hair got accidentally stuck to the blow-dryer and the entire chunk had to be cut off. The other time Dixit’s hand touched a bulb by mistake owing to the lack of space and got burnt. After informing the team, a production member came to her aid, handed her a toothpaste tube and asked her to apply it. There were no apologies later. When she requested for a bigger vanity van, she was told that was impossible as that is how things were on location. Dixit added that Bahl humiliated her even on the day the bulb accident happened. “I used to go to my hotel room in Delhi and cry and was hoping that the shoot would get over soon,” she told Bollywood Hungama. From food to travel, Dixit says all arrangements made were sub-par. She even had to “haggle” for her remuneration for the film, said the actress. After about eight months, Nayani was still asking for her due payment and was finally paid Rs 8,000 as the last installment. “I didn’t attend the screening or premiere or the trailer launch of the film. I promised myself never to work with Vikas Bahl or Phantom Films,” added the actress. Nayani adds that she had informed her Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) friends of Phantom’s ill-treatment, warning them that in case they get offered a film from the production house, they ought to quote a double amount from their normal fee, since only then will they receive a fair amount. Vikramaditya Motwane, on the other hand, was someone Nayani praised saying that he was the sole person concerned with only his work. Returning to Bahl, the actress added that his chief assistant director made Queen while the director just took credit for the accolades and praise.