#MeToo | Vikas Bahl files a Rs 10 cr defamation case against Kashyap, Motwane

Agencies
October 18, 2018

Mumbai, Oct 18: Filmmaker Vikas Bahl, accused of sexual assault by a former employee of Phantom Films, has filed a Rs 10 crore defamation suit against Anurag Kashyap and Vikramaditya Motwane, his former partners in the production house. The court, during the hearing Wednesday, directed Bahl to make the woman employee a respondent to the suit and adjourned the hearing to October 19.

Bahl, the director of Kangana Ranaut-starrer Queen, has sought an interim direction from the court seeking to restrain Kashyap and Motwane from making any statements, either to the media or on social media platforms, against him. The suit, filed Tuesday, alleged that Kashyap and Motwane made "defamatory, slanderous and baseless allegations" against him due to which he has suffered irreversible damage to the reputation.

It demanded damages of Rs 10 crore from Kashyap and Motwane. He labelled his former partners as opportunists, who allegedly orchestrated the whole campaign against him, making him look like the person responsible for the production house's fall.

Justice SJ Kathawalla, who heard arguments on Bahl's application for an interim order, asked if the parties were open to sort out the issue amicably. "Is there any way to end this matter? Just check if the parties are willing for this," he asked the lawyers.

The court also directed Bahl to make the woman who has levelled allegations against him a respondent to the application, saying it was pertinent to hear her too. Justice Kathawalla directed Bahl, Kashyap, Motwane and the woman to appear in person in his chamber on Friday, when the matter would be heard.

Bahl's counsel Sharan Jagtiani argued that even after the alleged incident, the woman was in touch with Bahl. To this, Kashyap's counsel Venkatesh Dhond said Bahl cannot trivialise the woman's allegations on this ground, as she had to continue working with Phantom Films.

Justice Kathawalla, while adjourning the matter, noted that while the #MeToo movement was good, there should be guidelines in place so that authorities know how to handle such cases. The judge passed no order on Bahl's plea.

Phantom Films was established in 2011 by Kashyap, Motwane, Bahl and producer Madhu Mantena. The company's productions include Lootera, Hasee Toh Phasee and the blockbuster Queen. Soon after Bahl was named by a former employee of Phantom Films amid the MeToo campaign, Kashyap and Motwane dissolved the production house.

The unidentified woman employee alleged that Bahl sexually assaulted her in Goa during a promotional tour for the movie Bombay Velvet in 2015.

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News Network
March 6,2020

Los Angeles, Mar 6: Filmmaker-writer Taika Waititi is set to direct two animated series based on Roald Dahl's "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" for Netflix.

Waititi, who won an Academy Award in February for his adapted screenplay, "Jojo Rabbit", will also serve as the writer and producer on the animated series.

According to Deadline, the first series will be based on the world of "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory", while the second will be an original take on the Oompa-Loompa characters from the book.

The Oompa-Loompas are little humans who were preyed upon in Loompaland before Wonka invited them to work at his chocolate factory. They are paid in cocoa beans and love practical jokes and singing songs.

Netflix said the animation series would "retain the quintessential spirit and tone of the original story while building out the world and characters far beyond the pages of the Dahl book for the very first time."

The series will follow in the footsteps of Gene Wilder's 1971 portrayal of Willy Wonka and Johnny Depp's 2005 interpretation.

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News Network
June 2,2020

New Delhi, Jun 2: Actor Anushka Sharma on Tuesday exhorted people to maintain hygiene and advised to stop open defecation in a bid to avoid coronavirus spread.

As the country is grappling with the coronavirus crisis, the 'PK' actor has joined the initiative with the Swachh Bharat Mission, which aims to tell the people that the contagion can be curbed through strict sanitation process.

"When women all over the country had decided that they would educate everyone on the lesson of close the door, shun the disease, no one had thought that their initiative would turn into such a huge wave!," the actor was seen saying in a video posted in the official Twitter handle of Swachh Bharat I #IndiaFightsCorona.

"Today, in the time of coronavirus pandemic, we all have to again remember and remind others about the lesson of cleanliness," she added.

"If we take care of cleanliness around us, by not defecating in the open, we will keep ourselves healthy and India clean. We will become strong to fight against any kind of disease," the 32-year-old star said.

The 'Sultan' actor noted that by stopping defecating in open and closing the toilet door at all times can be a solid measure to drive the disease out of the country.

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News Network
February 10,2020

Chennai, Feb 10: The Income Tax Department on Monday summoned Tamil actor Vijay over charges of tax evasion and his alleged links with financier Anbu Chezhiyan.

The development comes after the IT Department on Friday carried out a raid at the actor's residence in Panaiyur area in Chennai.

IT sleuths held searches in connection with the success of a recent film which was a Box Office hit, collecting around Rs 300 crore.

As per sources, the IT Department on Thursday recovered Rs 65 crores from the residence of Vijay's alleged financer in Chennai during raids which were carried out in the connection with the tax evasion case linked to AGS Cinemas.

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