Karishma Tanna jumps to Sanju director Rajkumar Hirani’s defence, says accuser is immature

Actor Karishma Tanna has defended director Rajkumar Hirani against the sexual harassment allegations made against him. Karishma joins a growing group of Hirani’s supporters that includes writer Javed Akhtar and actors Sharman Joshi and Arshad Warsi.

Karishma, who appeared in a supporting role in Hirani’s last film, Sanju, told Bollywood Life that more than being shocked, she was upset at the allegations. “I would like to say that whoever is trying to do it, is very immature. Someone like him, a veteran and a respectable director and producer like him, I cannot even think of it. I have worked with him and it has been a brilliant pleasure and outstanding experience. When I heard the news, more than being shocked I was very upset,” she said.

Hirani has been accused by a crew member of repeatedly assaulting her over several months during the production of Sanju, a biopic on actor Sanjay Dutt, starring Ranbir Kapoor. Hirani has denied all allegations as “false and completely unjustified”.

Karishma continued, “Whoever is trying to put allegations they should not forget that there is an option called NO. You can’t just put any false allegations, that is very immature.”

Earlier, Javed Akhtar had in a tweet defended Hirani. “I had come to the film industry in 1965. After so many years, if I am asked who are the most decent people you met in this industry over almost 5 decades, perhaps the first name that will come to my mind is Raju Hirani. GB Shaw has said: ‘It is too dangerous to be too good’,” Javed wrote.

Hirani’s other collaborators, Sharman Joshi and Arshad Warsi, have also commented on the filmmaker’s reputation. While Sharman called him ‘a man of immense integrity, character, honour, compassion and truthfulness’, Arshad said it is unfair to jump to conclusions. Meanwhile, another Sanju actor, Dia Mirza, has called the allegations distressing.

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