Rajat Kapoor has been accused by two journalists. (Image courtesy: Twitter)
Highlights
- "I am sorry from the bottom of my heart," he tweeted
- One of the women also accused Saurabh Shukla for helping Rajat Kapoor
- "They were probably preying on young women together," she said
Actor Rajat Kapoor is the latest film industry member to be called out for alleged sexual harassment on Twitter with two women accusing him of inappropriate behaviour and has apologised for 'having slipped.' The accounts were sent to journalist Sandhya Menon, who has been posting #MeToo stories of her own and some sent to her by women who do not want to be identified. One, a journalist, details a telephonic interview in which Mr Kapoor allegedly asked her if she was "as sexy as (she) sounds" and "tell me your vital stats." The second, an assistant director, reveals that the actor allegedly asked her to shoot with him in an empty house and would call her incessantly from actor Saurabh Shukla's phone.
On Twitter, Rajat Kapoor posted this: "All my life I have tried to be a decent man, to do the right thing. If however, I have slipped and through my actions or words caused pain or hurt or trauma to absolutely anybody, please accept my apology. I am sorry from the bottom of my heart - and sad that I was the cause of this hurt to another human being. If there is one thing more important to me than even my work, it is to be a good human being. And I have tried to be that person. And now, I will try harder."
Here's what Rajat Kapoor, who is a familiar face from films such as Monsoon Wedding and Kapoor And Sons, tweeted:
Sandhya Menon's tweet, in which the second woman also says she suspects Saurabh Shukla was complicit:
India finally seems to be having its #MeToo moment after Tanushree Dutta accused Nana Patekar of sexual harassment anew two weeks ago. Ms Dutta was allegedly harassed by Mr Patekar on a film set 10 years ago and her complaint to a film body went ignored. Now, not only is she being heard, Twitter has exploded with men from the media and other industries being outed as predators. Sandhya Menon is one of the women leading this charge.
Queen director Vikas Bahl has also been accused of sexual misconduct and inappropriate behaviour by three women, one of them actress Kangana Ranaut. Phantom Films, the production house he co-owned with Anurag Kashyap, Vikramaditya Motwane and Madhu Mantena, has been dissolved. Mr Kashyap and Mr Motwane have both tweeted to say they believe Mr Bahl to be guilty of the predatory behaviour he is accused of.