Vikas Bahl, Battling Sexual Harassment Allegations, Sends Legal Notice to Anurag Kashyap And Vikramaditya Motwane Over Defamatory Remarks

Vikas Bahl was accused of sexual harassment by a former employee of Phantom Films in the wake of #MeToo movement.

Producer-director Vikas Bahl, who was accused of sexual harassment by a former employee of Phantom Films in the wake of #MeToo movement, has reportedly sent legal notices to Anurag Kashyap and Vikramaditya Motwane for making defamatory allegations against him.

According to a report by Mumbai Mirror, Bahl has accused both the filmmakers of maligning his image and using the opportunity to disband Phantom Films. In the notice, the Queen director also alleged that Anurag and Vikramaditya acted on hearsay and portrayed him as the villain. It reads, “Our client states that you are neither a witness nor an alleged victim, but instead an opportunist seeking to derive benefit based on unsubstantiated information.”

The notice also alleges Kashyap for bribing another employee of the production house to make similar accusations against Vikas. It adds, “This makes us wonder whether the alleged incident of sexual assault also has any authenticity, given that the alleged victim was, in fact, working as your own employee.”

Bahl has reportedly threatened to file a defamation case against both the directors if they don’t withdraw messages from social media.

Recently, Phantom Films was dissolved and Anurag issued a detailed statement apologising to the victim. He said, “I am deeply, truly sorry to the woman in question and she has known this all this while. This will never happen again on my work premises ever again”.

After the former Phantom employee, actress Kangana Ranaut and her Queen co-star Nayani Dixit also accused Vikas of behaving inappropriately on the sets of the film. Kangana said, “Every time we met, socially greeted and hugged each other, he (Bahl) would bury his face in my neck, 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.”

Hrithik Roshan, whose upcoming movie Super 30, will be directed by Vikas, reacted on the controversy stating that ‘it is not possible for him to work with any person if found guilty of misconduct’.