Farah Khan has broken silence over allegations of sexual harassment against her filmmaker brother Sajid Khan by three women. The director-choreographer said that it’s a heartbreaking time for her family but she stands in complete solidarity with any woman who has faced harassment.
In a statement posted on Twitter, Farah wrote, “This is a heartbreaking time for my family. We have to work through some very difficult issues. If my brother has behaved in this manner, he has a lot to atone for. I don’t in any way endorse this behaviour and stand in solidarity with any woman who has been hurt.” (sic)
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Earlier in the day, Sajid announced that he was taking the “moral responsibility” to step down as the director of Housefull 4 “till the time I can allay the allegations and prove the truth.”
“In the wake of the allegations against me and the pressure being put on my family, my producer and the stars of my film ‘Housefull 4’, I must take the moral responsibility of stepping down from my directorial post, till the time I can allay the allegations and prove the truth. Request my friends in the media to kindly not pass judgment till the truth is out,” read the statement shared by Sajid.
Sajid’s cousin, actor Farhan Akhtar, who has been actively backing women’s voice in the wake of the #MeToo movement, said allegations against the filmmaker were shocking.
“I cannot adequately stress how shocked, disappointed and heartbroken I am to read the stories about Sajid’s behaviour. I don’t know how but he will have to find a way to atone for his alleged actions,” he tweeted.
Taking into cognizance the serious nature of allegations, Housefull 4 lead actor Akshay Kumar, who just wrapped up the Jaisalmer schedule of the film, also took to Twitter to ask its producers to “cancel the shoot until further investigation”.
Akshay’s statement comes minutes after his wife Twinkle Khanna’s tweet, urging the makers of Housefull to take a firm stance on the issue.