Actress Huma Qureshi has shared a powerfully written response after her name cropped up in a controversy over alleged sexual harassment involving filmmaker Anurag Kashyap, who cast Ms Qureshi in his two-part Gangs Of Wasseypur. Mr Kashyap has been accused of "forcing" himself on an actress, who also told ABN Telugu that he named three actresses as being "just a call away." In response, the actress claims she said, "You have given chance to Richa Chadha, Mahie Gill, Huma Qureshi... they are so nominal looking girls. Generally directors don't give them chance but you have done a great job. But I am not mentally prepared for this right now." Mr Kashyap denies the allegations. In her own response, Huma Qureshi explains why she's "angry" and writes that to the best of her knowledge, Anurag Kashyap never behaved improperly with her or anyone else.
Huma Qureshi released this statement: "Anurag and I last worked together in 2012-13 and he is a dear friend and an extremely talented director. In my personal experience and to my knowledge he has neither misbehaved with me or anyone else. However, anyone who claims to be abused must report to the authorities, the police and the judiciary. I chose not to comment till now because I don't believe in social media fights and social media trials. I feel really angry at being dragged into this mess. I feel angry not just for myself but also every woman whose years of hard work and struggle gets reduced to such baseless conjecture and allegations in their workplace. Please let's refrain from this narrative. It is the joint responsibility of women and men both to carefully protest the sanctity of #MeToo. This is my final response. Please do not approach me to make any more statements on this matter."
Read Huma Qureshi's post here:
Actress Richa Chadha, who also starred in Gangs Of Wasseypur, has sent Anurag Kashyap's accuser a legal notice. She shared this lawyer's statement on social media: "Our client 'Ms. Richa Chadha' condemns the act of her name being unnecessarily and falsely dragged in a derogatory manner into controversies and allegations being recently raised by third parties. Though our Client believes that genuinely wronged women should get justice at all costs, there are legislations that are intended to ensure that women have an equal standing in their workplace and to ensure that they have a cordial workplace in which their dignity and self-respect is protected. No woman should misuse their liberties to harass other women with unsubstantiated or non-existent, false and baseless allegations. Our Client has initiated appropriate legal action and shall further pursue her legal rights and remedies in law as may be advised in her best interest."
Meanwhile, Anurag Kashyap has denied the allegations dismissing them as "false, malicious and dishonest". He is considering taking legal action, said a statement from his lawyer:
Anurag Kashyap's former partners Aarti Bajaj (divorced 2009) and Kalki Koechlin (divorced 2015), have shared lengthy posts in the filmmaker's support. "Don't let this social media circus get to you," wrote Kalki while Aarti Bajaj shared: "Keep empowering women as you do."
