Vikramaditya Motwane, Neeraj Ghaywan, Varun Grover release statements about Vikas Bahl sexual harassment row

After Anurag Kashyap , Vikramaditya Motwane opened up about a former employee’s sexual harassment allegations against Queen director Vikas Bahl . Kashyap, Bahl, Motwane and Madhu Mantena had jointly founded Phantom Films in 2011, where the woman worked. However, the production house was dissolved on 6 October after HuffPost India reported the woman’s detailed account of the alleged incident. The survivor also stated that despite knowing the truth for almost two years, the Phantom founders did not do anything about it. [caption id=“attachment_5335151” align=“alignnone” width=“825”] Anurag Kashyap, Vikramaditya Motwane, Vikas Bahl and Madhu Mantena. Image from Twitter[/caption] Motwane, in his statement, said he was unaware of the incident until March 2017. He also apologised and called Bahl a “sex offender”. Motwane clarified that the woman did not want to go public despite Kashyap and Shubra Shetty trying to change her mind.

Neeraj Ghaywan, whose drama Masaan was produced by Phantom Films, said he felt disgusted by the allegations. “… I am complicit in working with the company that allows it. I allowed myself to work where such toxic male behaviour and perverse patriarchal mind-set fostered,” he wrote.

Varun Grover, who has frequently collaborated with the production house for projects like Sacred Games and Bombay Velvet had also tweeted his stand regarding the ongoing controversy. He also apologised and emphasised on the need to ensure a safe working environment for women. The company’s fourth partner, Mantena, is yet to react on the controversy. (With inputs from Press Trust of India)