#MeToo: Aamir Khan, Kiran Rao issue statement, decide to 'step away' from film over sexual harassment allegations

As the #MeToo fire raged on Wednesday, charring carefully built up reputations with more women narrating their experiences in the wide spectrum of sexual misconduct, Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan and his wife and producer Kiran Rao in the evening lent support to the movement currently sweeping over the film industry.

In a joint statement on social media, the couple said their production house has a “zero-tolerance” policy for sexual harassment and hence, they are stepping away from a film in which someone involved has been accused of sexual harassment. This is however not a judgement on that person since the case is subjudice. 

“As creative people, we have been committed to foregrounding and finding solutions to social issues and at Aamir Khan Productions, we have always had a zero tolerance policy towards sexual misconduct and predatory behavior of any kind,” Aamir Khan and his wife Kiran Rao said.

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“We strongly condemn any act of sexual harassment and equally we condemn any and all false accusations in such cases,” they said.“Two weeks ago, when traumatic #MeToo stories began emerging, it was brought to our attention that someone we were about to begin work with has been accused of sexual misconduct. Upon enquiry we found that this particular case is subjudice and that the legal process is motion,” according to the statement.

pic.twitter.com/NidpxviA95

— Aamir Khan (@aamir_khan) October 10, 2018

“We are not an investigative agency, nor are we in any position to pass judgment on anyone that is for the people and judiciary to do. So without casting any aspersions on anyone involved in this case and without coming to any conclusions about these specific allegations, we have decided to step away from this film,” they maintained.

“We do not want to our action to reflect in any manner on the people involved in this case. We believe that this is an opportunity for the film industry to introspect and take concrete steps towards change.”

“For far too long women have faced the brunt of sexual exploitation. It has to stop. In this regard, we are committed to doing any and everything to make our film industry a safe and happy one to work in,” the duo added. 

Earlier in the day, Aamir Khan and Kiran Rao attended a special meeting with the members of Producers Guild of India at the Roy Kapoor Films' office in Mumbai, reported Bollywood Hungama. The meeting was held to discuss the steps that can be taken to make the industry a safer place for women.