Vijay Raaz breaks his silence on molestation allegations
Actor Vijay Raaz, who was recently arrested for allegedly molesting a female crew member on the sets of Vidya Balan-starrer Sherni, has broken his silence over the allegations. "People are bound to make judgments without hearing the other side of the story...I have been pronounced guilty even before the investigation," the actor maintained. Here's more on what he said.
'Terminating my services was shocking'
The 57-year-old actor has been temporarily suspended from the film, owing to the complaint against him. "I am all for an investigation by the authorities. However, to ostracize me, suspend and terminate my services from my forthcoming films even before any sort of investigation is shocking. I have no words to express. It is a very dangerous place to be in," he said.
Am I not the victim here, Raaz asked
While the actor has been granted bail in the case, he revealed the harassment charges have badly affected his ability to earn. "I have been working with the same crew for over a year. We play cricket on set. It's how we are with each other. Yet, when I was told she felt uncomfortable, I apologized. This was in front of the entire crew."
My hard work will go down the drain: Raaz
"I also have responsibilities and I need a job. All my hard work can go down the drain if people jump to conclusions without verifying the claims. This should not be one-sided. Truth prevails but the damage is done," added the actor.
'Saying sorry doesn't always mean that you are wrong'
Raaz further said that apologizing does not imply that the allegations against him are true. "It means you respect someone's feelings more." Earlier this month, a female crew member of the said movie accused Raaz of molesting her during its Madhya Pradesh schedule. On November 2, the actor was arrested by the local police, and later released on bail.
Can vouch that Raaz did not molest her: Eye-witness
Meanwhile, an eye-witness had earlier told Mid-Day that Raaz did not molest the accuser. "She was sitting when Vijay Raaz yanked her arm to call for her attention. She lost her temper as this is no way to behave with a female colleague at a workplace. That said, we can vouch that Vijay did not molest her."
Raaz known for films like 'Gully Boy,' 'Gulabo Sitabo'
Vijay Raaz, who had made his acting debut in 1999 with the film Bhopal Express, is known for his role in movies such as Jungle, Monsoon Wedding, Company, Road, Run and many others including web shows. More recently, he shared screen space with Ranveer Singh in the 2019 musical hit Gully Boy, and also played a pivotal role in Amitabh Bachchan-starrer Gulabo Sitabo.
