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Kangana Ranaut accuses Queen director Vikas Bahl of sexual harassment

Kangana Ranaut accuses Queen director Vikas Bahl of sexual harassment

"He'd bury his face in my neck and hold me really tight and breathe in the smell of my hair," recalls the actor
Updated 07 Oct, 2018

The Tanushree Dutta-Nana Patekar harassment case has encouraged another woman to report an incident of sexual assault in Bollywood - and Kangana says she believes her.

Indian director Vikas Bahl has been called out by a female crew member from the set of Bombay Velvet for sexually assaulting her. She revealed details of the incident to HuffPo India.

Kangana says she stands in support of the woman, saying that she has also faced sexual harassment at the hands of the Queen director.

"Even though Vikas was married back in 2014 when we were filming Queen, he bragged about having casual sex with a new partner every other day. I don't judge people and their marriages but you can tell when addiction becomes sickness. He partied every night and shamed me for sleeping early and not being cool enough," said the actor in an interview with India Today.

Kangana continued, "I often told him off. He was scared of me but still every time we met, socially greeted and hugged each other, he'd bury his face in my neck and hold me really tight and breathe in the smell of my hair. It took me great amount of strength and effort to pull myself out of his embrace. He'd say, 'I love how you smell K'."

"I could tell something is wrong with him. I believe this girl. But what is sad, is that now that Phantom has been dissolved, many are attacking him, even though the girl asked for help long ago. At that time, the story was conveniently killed, but I supported her at that time as well. You can see my media interaction during one of my brand endorsement interactions. I thought the movement [MeToo] would catch up but I was wrong," said the 31-year-old actor.

Kangana is not the only one from Bollywood to support the woman, Indian director Hansal Mehta, Nandita Das, and several others also tweeted asking people to oust predators in the industry.

The recent cases of sexual harassment in Bollywood make one question, has the MeToo movement finally taken flight in India?

Comments

SyedChaudhryGangaDinKhan Oct 07, 2018 01:39pm
Very unusual for Kangana to remain silent for all these years.
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A shah Oct 07, 2018 01:43pm
A very strong lady
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Amina Oct 07, 2018 01:53pm
So Queen movie was supposed to be an optimistic step towards highlighting women self respect and empowerment and this film's director was doing all this with K. R. What a shame. In the A list top actresses, I would have sworn that only this gutsy girl can speak out. Respect K. R. @ Gangadin it's very easy to say that, isn't it.
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gauhar mir Oct 07, 2018 01:54pm
We know that film industry happen these things, but you need courage to tell them.
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Babu Oct 07, 2018 01:56pm
Kangana is a very powerful personality, she has reached the place where she is today without anybody's support of nepotism. She speaks fair and truth.
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Harmony-1© Oct 07, 2018 02:08pm
It’s just tip of the iceberg in film industry. Indian cinema is notorious for plots where men aggressively pursue women, who initially resist but are soon won over by their suitor’s persistence and charm. It reflects and reinforces a casual attitude towards harassment across Indian society at large.
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manjeet Oct 07, 2018 02:10pm
Name any onewomen who is not exloited in this field. leave aside the children of film stars who get ready made launch pads.
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Sarfraz Oct 07, 2018 02:18pm
It will take another 1000 years for metoo movement to start in pakistan
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Markus Oct 07, 2018 02:55pm
Bollywood, 100% nepotism, where star kids get all resources from protection to films. But for strugglers, specially females, its one of the most dangerous place, where advantages are most prevalent.
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Parekh Oct 07, 2018 02:59pm
Bollywood is bad a place for newcomers. Producers, Directors, Agents who recruit dancers, specially male are notorious.
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Fayaz Oct 07, 2018 03:03pm
Aditya Pancholi also made an attempt on her, when Kangna Ranaut initially was struggling to get into films.
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Pride Oct 07, 2018 03:10pm
Film industry needs a code of conduct to highlight countless thin red lines.
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Zak Oct 07, 2018 05:09pm
So whats new in India. Nothing has changed, I see.
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Juggy Oct 07, 2018 05:48pm
Predatory behavior prevalent in Bollywood Industry
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Pervez Oct 07, 2018 06:31pm
If some men do not understand NO means NO then there should be consequences.
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Sana Oct 07, 2018 06:31pm
In Pakistan its opposite we shame me too victims like Meesha, Ayesha, Qandeel scores of woman shamed be from politics, lollywood, or modeling industry who called out pervert men.
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Pervez Oct 07, 2018 06:32pm
@SyedChaudhryGangaDinKhan women are often silent because of stigma attached to sex crimes especially for a female.
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SID Oct 07, 2018 07:06pm
The MeToo movement in India, couldn't have come at a better time. Pummelling through all, it has only just started wreaking havoc in the fake media nexus. From fake news like NDTV & HT to pseudo-liberal directors like Vikas Bahl, compatriots of Anurag Kashyap, all are scurrying for cover over the barrage of accusations. End of pseudo-liberal, pseudo-secular media in India is imminent.
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Md. Hasanuzzaman Oct 07, 2018 09:02pm
Each and every sexual assult must be taken seriouslly and investigated.
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Khalid iqbal Oct 07, 2018 10:41pm
Sexual harassment is nothing but another form of corruption where directors and producers take advantage of their position .
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muhibbewatan Oct 08, 2018 10:42am
It's quite natural that victims muster the much needed strength when similar stories surface and get the light of the day eventually.....better late than never! Now let's see if there are ripcurrents in bollywood.
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Hossain Ahmed Oct 08, 2018 12:12pm
Their silence gives them courage. It is time to oust these culprits from the film.
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Dipak singham Oct 08, 2018 04:52pm
These filmy peoples are fake, specially Big B , who come up with a letter when his movie Pink about to release but when reporter asked his opinion about Tanushree's issue he softly sideline to speak anything.
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