Sajid Khan's sister choreographer-director Farah Khan says she and her family are "heartbroken" with #MeToo allegations implicating the 47-year-old filmmaker. Mr Khan, outed as an alleged predator by three women, today announced he was "stepping down" as the director of work-in-progress Housefull 4. Actor Akshay Kumar also cancelled the film's shoot in the wake of #MeToo allegations piling up against members involved in the film and his decision has been 'seconded' be Riteish Deshmukh, who also stars in the film. After Sajid Khan shared his resignation on Twitter, Farah (who is also the film's choreographer) tweeted: "This is a heartbreaking time for my family. We have to work through some very difficult issues. If my brother has behaved in this manner he has a lot to atone for. I don't in any way endorse this behavior and Stand in solidarity with any woman who has been hurt."
This is a heartbreaking time for my family.We have to work through some very difficult issues. If my brother has behaved in this manner he has a lot to atone for.I don't in any way endorse this behavior and Stand in solidarity with any woman who has been hurt.
— Farah Khan (@TheFarahKhan) October 12, 2018
Farhan Akhtar, Sajid's cousin, also expressed "shock" and "disappointment" over the allegations. He tweeted, "I cannot adequately stress how shocked, disappointed and heartbroken I am to read the stories about Sajid's behaviour. I don't know how but he will have to find a way to atone for his alleged actions." Sajid and Farah Khan are children of Maneka Irani, who is the sister of Farhan and Zoya Akhtar's mother Honey Irani.
I cannot adequately stress how shocked, disappointed and heartbroken I am to read the stories about Sajid's behaviour.
— Farhan Akhtar (@FarOutAkhtar) October 12, 2018
I don't know how but he will have to find a way to atone for his alleged actions.
As of now, two actresses and a journalist have accused Sajid Khan of indecent behaviour and alleged he harassed them mentally and emotionally. Actress Saloni Chopra, who then working with Sajid Khan as assistant director alleged that he would criticise her appearance and humiliate her (detailed account here). "It took me years to get over the trauma he put me through. I was so scared around the people I worked with," she wrote. Actress Rachel White, who met Sajid Khan during the casting of 2015 film Humshakals, says the director told her she could get a role if she could "seduce him in 5 minutes." Journalist Karishma Upadhyay alleged that Mr Khan blocked her way on her way out and "forced his tongue down her throat."
This was Sajid Khan's statement after he trended for almost a day:
— Sajid Khan (@SimplySajidK) October 12, 2018
India's #MeToo movement is gaining momentum with several women recounting their stories and naming and shaming their harassers. From Bollywood, Vikas Bahl, Alok Nath and Subhash Ghai have already been implicated in the #MeToo allegations.
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