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Thursday, March 28 2024
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Shruti Hariharan accuses Arjun Sarja of sexual harassment

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Bengaluru: Shruthi Hariharan who entered the film world in 2012 with Malayalam film Cinema Company is not new to controversies. She was the first one to raise voice against casting couch and now she is back with yet another explosive allegation on none other than Arjun Sarja.

Shruthi, who got a break in Kannada film industry through Ninasam Satish starrer ‘Lucia’ has said that Sarja had touched her in an inappropriate manner.

In a lengthy FB post, Shruthi stated that she was shooting for a bilingual film which starred Arjun Sarja. “A man whose movies I have grown up watching. I was excited about the opportunity. The first few days seemed normal, I played his wife in the film and that day we were to do a romantic scene where we had to hug each other after a brief dialogue. During the rehearsal, we delivered our lines and Mr. Arjun hugs me. With no forewarning or permission, he runs his hands intimately up and down my back. He pulls me closer with my body taut against his and asks the director if we could use this idea of foreplay in the scene. I was aghast. I am all for depicting realism in cinema, but this felt absolutely wrong. His intent seemed anything but professional. I hated that he did it and angry that I didn’t know what to say then,” she stated.

“I’d also like to share with you that every actor I worked with before and after him, have never resorted to this kind of “improv”. The director sensed my discomfort too. I made sure I let the direction department know that I was not interested to be a part of rehearsals and will come directly for takes. I also shared the incident with my make up team right after. The incident happened in front of at least 50 people on a shooting set- it happened at my workplace. I wanted nothing but to stay away from him rather than be tolerant and put up with his lewd and complete un professional behavior,” she stated.

“I didn’t want to go back, but as a professional, I had to finish what I had signed for. I continued shooting. During the course of production, every smutty innuendo he made, created an unpalatable work environment for me. His salacious invitations to meet him after work appalled me.

Looking back I remember attempting to normalise his behaviour and ignore his comments- lest there be issues in the production of the film in entirety. I maintained a cordial distance. All the while knowing he was wrong and wondering why he never stopped,” her FB post read.

“I choose to come out now, ‘cos henceforth I think Mr. Arjun Sarja needs to make sure he doesn’t cross the thin line between two actors and use his position of power to cause another person discomfort or hurt. I choose to do this publicly – cos this movement is more than you and me and our individual experiences. It is a collective voice to question an existing system of power play and to call a spade for what it is. The point is to be part of a larger battle against years of female oppression and abuse. It is a movement to make sure no man ever takes a woman’s personal space for granted, whoever she is to him,” she concluded.

As expected her post has become viral and sent shock waves in the Kannada film industry.

Meanwhile, responding to the issue, Sarja has said that he will take legal recourse. Refuting all charges, he said that he has been a busy man and has no time for such activities.

He has urged all women to take the #Metoo movement in the right direction and not let it turn out to be a nuisance.

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