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After Malayalam cinema, now cases of women being victims of sexual harassment are coming to light from Bengali cinema as well. Recently, a Bengali actress has accused the famous Bengali cinema director Arindam Seal of sexual harassment in a complaint filed in the West Bengal Women's Commission. After the allegations, the director was suspended from the Directors Association. Later the director said that he had misbehaved with the actress unknowingly. After this statement of the director, the actress who made the allegations said that if he does not apologize publicly, she will take legal action against him.
The actress has told that this incident is of 3rd April, when she was shooting for the TV show Ekti Khuneer Sandhane Khuneer in a resort. The actress alleges that first director Arindam forcefully asked her to sit on his lap and then kissed her on the cheek.
The actress had said in her complaint, he asked me to sit on his lap. When I refused, he commanded me as a director and said, I am saying… sit down. This was quite scary. I did not understand how to refuse. As soon as I sat on his lap, he kissed me on my cheek. I was in shock, I did not understand what to do. I quickly moved away from there and he started behaving as if nothing had happened. The people standing there were smiling, as if some joke was going on. After some time, when he came to the monitor, I talked to him about this. Then he replied – why did you not enjoy it.
Further, the actress said, it is very disappointing that now he is giving a written apology, telling the media that he kissed me unknowingly. If he is going to this extent, then I will take legal action against him.
The director had said in clarification- did it unknowingly
In an interview to Times of India, director Arindam Seal said, “I have nothing on my mind right now. I am very clear with my conscience. If she (actress) is upset with any act done by me unintentionally, then I apologize. I am taking expert advice. I have left everything else to time. People have the right to say anything, but I think they don't know the truth.”
Let us tell you that the actress had filed a complaint against the director in the West Bengal Women's Commission. After this, he has been suspended from the post of DAEI (Directors Association of Eastern India).
The notice sent to Director Arindam by DAEI President Subrata Sen and Secretary Sudeshna Roy on Saturday, September 7, said, “Due to the allegations against you and the prima facie evidence we have, our entire organization is being defamed. For this, DAEI has decided to suspend your membership indefinitely or until you are cleared of the allegations.”