It all started with actress Payal Rohatgi coming out in the open and accusing director Dibaker Banerjee of asking for s**ual favours from her in return of a movie role.
Dibaker denied the casting couch accusations slammed against him and supporting him were filmmakers Anurag Kashyap and Sudhir Mishra.
In Dibaker's defence, Anurag said, "Incidents like these keep happening. I get around 50 such messages from actors everyday and this is precisely the reason why we have casting directors today who decide the casting."
Sudhir Mishra said, "I stand by Dibaker. As far as valid directors are concerned, I can vouch for them as I don't think 'casting couch' exists. If at all it does, I have not seen it."
Mumbai Mirror had reported yesterday that filmmaker Sudhir Mishra had personally delivered a complaint letter against model-turned-actress Payal Rohatgi to the Versova police station, last evening as a "precautionary measure" in the wake of some intimidating phone calls and messages he had been getting from Payal.
The messages went as follows: A) You don't know what happened between me and Dibakar. I would appreciate if you refrain from your comments, as I also can talk. B) Lay off. C) I don't want to work with you. So don't spoil my image. D) Sorry for my last comments. I am a girl, not a piece of meat. I must have begged 100 times for an audition from you but you didn't listen. But please don't bitch about me as now I won't shut up. E) Now, I hope it's clear.
Reacting to the quoted messages in Mumbai Mirror, Payal's publicist Avantika clarified with TOI saying, "The content of those messages are absolutely correct but they are in no way threatening or intimidating as they are made out to be. Payal is going to have a press conference today afternoon where she will speak about Sudhir allegedly filing a police complaint against her in the police station."
Avantika added, "After Sudhir intervened in what was between Payal and Dibaker, Payal did call up Sudhir to ask as to why he was intervening in the matter when he didn't know what had happened. The messages sent to him said the same. Sudhir reverted to Payal's texts by apologizing for his intervention and Payal let it go. After things were sorted, he goes and files a police complaint! When Payal asked him if he did file a complaint, he says no! We have his message for the record saying he hasn't filed the complaint. We are going to produce it to the media. If he claims to be threatened what took him almost 12 days to take an action! Was he sleeping over it!"
Meanwhile, Payal has also tweeted, "Sudhir mishra traitor or unstable. After apologising to me files a police complaint that I am threatening him. When I ask him says no. God who is unstable? I am going to be speaking to media at 3pm regarding sudhir mishra issue and put an end to all this nonsense. This entire gang is after my blood."
Payal's publicist Avantika concludes, "Payal is not a publicity hound. She has better things to do. She will speak to the media later in the day and will do group bytes."
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