Nana Patekar, Vikas Bahl: Sexual abuse accused artists working today
When the wave of the #MeToo movement first started in Bollywood in 2018, it horrified the industry. It was essentially the first time several women had voiced the alleged discomfort and harassment they were subjected to at the hands of well-known Bollywood celebrities. However, cut to the present times, and these artists are already back on their feet, while the complainants have sadly disappeared.
Nana Patekar
Nana Patekar was among the first people to be accused of sexual harassment and charges were leveled against him by actor Tanushree Dutta, who is the crusader of the #MeToo movement in India. Patekar felt strong repercussions and disappeared largely from showbiz, only to recently return with The Vaccine War. In June 2019, he was cleared of sexual harassment charges due to "insufficient evidence."
Vikas Bahl
Ganapath helmer Vikas Bahl was accused of sexual harassment by three women, with the first incident having reportedly transpired in 2015. The controversy led to the dissolution of Phantom Films, spearheaded by him, Anurag Kashyap, Vikramaditya Motwane, and Madhu Mantena. In June 2019, Reliance Entertainment's (which owned 50% stake in Phantom) internal complaints committee cleared him because "the complainant didn't appear before the committee."
Sajid Khan
Who can forget the outpouring of anger when the disgraced director and alleged repeat offender Sajid Khan was welcomed graciously by Salman Khan on Bigg Boss 16—essentially a whitewashing project for Sajid. Actors Sherlyn Chopra, Kanishka Soni, and Aahana Kumra, among several others, had accused him of harassment, due to which he stepped down from the director's chair during the making of Housefull 4.
Anu Malik
Singers Sona Mohapatra, Neha Bhasin, and Shweta Pandit accused Anu Malik of making sexual advances in 2018. Subsequently, Sony TV briefly dropped him as the judge of the popular singing reality show Indian Idol. However, he continues to receive work, and some of his recent projects are Hungama 2 (2021), Mind the Malhotras (2022), and Yash Raj Films's Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar (2021).
Luv Ranjan
In 2018, Luv Ranjan found himself embroiled in controversy when a woman told Mid-Day that she was asked to "strip to her underwear during an audition for Pyaar Ka Punchnama in 2010." Ranjan reacted, "I don't know how to react to an anonymous allegation and am willing to face any legitimate inquiry." This year, he worked with Ranbir Kapoor in Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar.
