Published 13 Oct, 2018 05:32pm

I am hopeful there's a way forward, says Saif Ali Khan about the future of Sacred Games 2

In recent days, allegations of sexual harassment have come to light against writer Varun Grover as well as producer and filmmaker, Vikas Bahl of Phantom Films (which has now been dissolved by the other three founders due to Bahl's misconduct and sexual assault).

Phantom Films co-produced the first season of the wildly popular Netflix web-series Sacred Games and Grover was its lead writer. Now it seems like the show's second season is in jeopardy as Netflix has a pretty strict policy against accusations of such nature (they sacked Kevin Spacey from House of Cards after survivors of assault came forward).

Talking about the uncertain future, Saif Ali Khan, who starred in the thriller alongside Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Radhika Apte, shares: "We don’t have to oversell Netflix, they are a very strong company with very strong values. They're the people who have pioneered this kind of incredibly strong stance against any kind of harassment. So they are going to look at the way forward, and I am hopeful there will be a way forward.”

A statement by Netflix said, “At this time, we are evaluating options on the path forward.”

Reacting to the names being outed in India’s #MeToo movement, Saif expressed total disgust.

“I don’t even want to call them my colleagues. I don’t think of these guys as my colleagues, I would be very shocked and surprised if a friend of mine was named in this. I think it is disgusting and I have never liked any kind of bullying, and I know this is something that people do and they can’t do it.”

Talking about how Bollywood can become a safer space, he added: "By this (the #MeToo movement), and changing your mindset, and your attitude I suppose. Fortunately and unfortunately the media, and this is one of the good things about social media, that you shame people into behaving. Now they’ll think ten times before disrespecting somebody.”

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