An actress has anonymously accused T-Series head honcho Bhushan Kumar of propositioning her during talks for a three-film deal with his banner. The incident took place three years ago, according to the woman.
“I met him for the first time in his office, it was a formal meeting and everything was finalised verbally and papers were to be signed the next day,” her account on Twitter read.
The next morning, the actress received a call from the office saying that Bhushan wanted to meet her to discuss a three-film contract. They had a “friendly chat”, in which he told her that he saw a lot of potential in her and would like to sign her for three films. She was elated and verbally agreed.
Half an hour later, she received a text from him asking to meet at his bungalow that evening. When she expressed her reservations, he messaged her saying that he was “looking for a relationship that involves work and pleasure” and he could make her a “superstar” if she agreed to his proposition.
“I messaged him back saying I don’t sleep for work and if this is what I would have to do to get the film, then I am backing out right now. We had a couple of more exchanges where he persuaded me and I kept declining, to the extent that he said that if I opened my mouth about this to anybody, he will not let me survive in this city,” the actress wrote.
The next morning, she was told that she had been dropped from the film because she “refused to sleep with the ‘boss'”.
This is my #metoo about #tseries head honcho #bhushankumar. @MasalaBai @spotboye @mumbaimirror
I have to use a pseudonym for my own safety and anonymity pic.twitter.com/vkzoiZxkpS— #YouTooBollywood (@YouTooBollywood) October 12, 2018
Bhushan vehemently denied the allegations and told PTI, “I am appalled and anguished to know that my name has been dragged in this #MeToo by some anonymous person(s). The allegations against me are bad on the face of it. I have enjoyed an impeccable reputation and have always maintained professionalism. The tweet has been used as a tool to defame me and malign my reputation.”
“I have taken this allegation very seriously and lodging a complaint with the cyber cell of the Mumbai Police to track the mysterious people(s) whose twitter handles have disappeared within seconds of uploading the malicious tweet. I’ll take all such actions as I will be legally advised,” he added.
Meanwhile, his wife Divya Khosla Kumar has come out in support of him. In a statement that she shared on her Twitter account, she wrote, “People even stood up against Lord Krishna who is praiseworthy. Though the #MeToo movement is meant to clean up the society, it’s sad that some people have started misusing it,” she wrote.
Divya added that her husband was “a man full of values and principles”. “It’s unfortunate that people put baseless allegations without having their facts and proofs in place,” she wrote.
— Divya Khosla Kumar (@iamDivyaKhosla) October 13, 2018
