#MeToo: Sruthi Hariharan vs Arjun Sarja battle divides Sandalwood


Bengaluru, Oct 23 (DC): Within hours of actress, Sruthi Hariharan making a #MeToo allegation against multilingual filmstar, Arjun Sarja, Sandalwood was divided with most coming out in support of the actor, and questioning Sruthi’s motives.

One theory doing the rounds is that Sruthi is being revengeful as she had on several occasions requested Arjun to cast her opposite his nephew and popular actor, Dhruva Sarja, but was turned down.

Arjun’s father-in-law, Rajesh, a veteran actor himself, has, meanwhile, appealed to the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC) to intervene in the matter and the chamber, which held an emergency meeting, has reportedly decided to resolve things amicably through dialogue possibly with the involvement of the head of the artistes’ association, Ambareesh.

Arjun’s mother Lakshmi, too has furiously denied Sruthi’s charges, calling them baseless and vowing to make her pay for causing irreparable damage to her family’s reputation. She claimed the actress once visited her house asking for Arjun, and was now acting out of revenge because things didn’t work out as she had hoped.

Arjun’s daughter Aishwarya, recalled that Sruthi had once praised her father and his work and wondered why she was now making serious charges against him.

But among the actors and actresses, who have come out in support of Sruthi, is actor Prakash Raj, who tweeted that even if Arjun dismissed her charges it would be best for him  to apologise to her.

Shraddha Srinath, Neethu, Avantika Shetty, Samyuktha Hegde and a few others from the industry too have expressed their solidarity with Sruthi with the hashtag #wearewithshru on social media platforms.

Actor and social activist Chetan, the man behind the establishment of the Film Industry for Rights and Equality (FIRE) has also been drawn into the controversy, with Mr Rajesh and Arjun Sarja's close friend, Prashanth Sambargi alleging that he had orchestrated the actor’s embarrassment as an act of revenge for being dropped from one of his projects.

Mr Sambargi recalled that Mr Chetan, who was initially supposed to be the lead in Arjun Sarja's production venture to launch his daughter, was later dropped. “He was given Rs 10 lakh as advance by Arjun Sarja, which he has still not returned. We will soon disclose the details of the cheque. It is a well choreographed act to malign the reputation of an actor , misusing the movement,” he charged. When contacted, Mr Chetan, however, rubbished the allegations , calling them fabricated to divert people’s attention from the main issue of women’s rights.

The head of FIRE, Kavitha Lankesh clarified once again on Monday that it was set up much before the #MeToo movement and its Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) was working for equality and rights of the women and others workers in the industry. “It is a platform to instill hope and strength in any victim who approaches the body within three  to six months of the incident. Sruthi's case is much older and although we have not taken it up, we are of course with her and hope that the truth will surface,” she added.

  

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Comment on this article

  • Charles D'Mello, Pangala

    Tue, Oct 23 2018

    Anybody who complains after years of happening is for settle some scores of them not getting benefit from the person....!!!!!

    DisAgree [1] Agree [7] Reply Report Abuse

  • Jossey Saldanha, Mumbai

    Tue, Oct 23 2018

    Bishop Franco & Nana Patekar went through the same Ordeal ...

    DisAgree [8] Agree [3] Reply Report Abuse

  • Vincent Rodrigues, Katapadi/Bangalore

    Tue, Oct 23 2018

    Better Sarja to go for defamation in the court

    DisAgree Agree [4] Reply Report Abuse

  • Flavian, Mangaluru/Kuwait

    Tue, Oct 23 2018

    Such a minor incident and making a mountain out of molehill.

    DisAgree [2] Agree [9] Reply Report Abuse

  • R.Bhandarkar, Mangaluru

    Tue, Oct 23 2018

    Ambareesh is a dispute settler in this # Me Too it seems!!

    He has openly admitted to some 350 flings or more! It's on video ---Watch it!!!

    He is some head of the artistes’ association, Ambareesh.

    What a farce !

    Like that the whole Film Industry itself is born out of the Casting Couch...

    What to talk of touches and assaults??

    Have the guts...Do a spot settlement and walk off.... Don't use it years later to settle scores.

    DisAgree [2] Agree [12] Reply Report Abuse

  • PEDDA GUNDOO, MANGALURU

    Tue, Oct 23 2018

    I am surprised how this fellow is a HERO and still worshiped by the duffer people ! He act like a BOSS who cant breath properly even cant stand !! AIYOO JALEELA NINNA AVASTE ??

    DisAgree [1] Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • Sampath, India

    Tue, Oct 23 2018

    Some activists are busy in deviding society...

    DisAgree Agree [10] Reply Report Abuse

  • mahesh, mangalore

    Tue, Oct 23 2018

    It's Prakash rai and party.
    Tukde tukde gang behind this.

    DisAgree [1] Agree [7] Reply Report Abuse

  • Flavian, Mangaluru/Kuwait

    Tue, Oct 23 2018

    Advocates/Lawyers time to make money.
    They are benefitting from both 'Me Too &'Men Too'

    DisAgree Agree [11] Reply Report Abuse

  • Kuchan, Kudla

    Tue, Oct 23 2018

    Gradually but surely one more moment will take off "We Too"

    DisAgree Agree [7] Reply Report Abuse

  • Shankar, Mangaluru

    Tue, Oct 23 2018

    Arjun Sarja would have been great if he had said,
    " I have never had such intentions. I apologize if you have hurt"

    DisAgree [24] Agree [6] Reply Report Abuse

  • Navin Shetty, Manipal/ Bahrain

    Tue, Oct 23 2018

    Thats the agenda, you guys wont get it.

    DisAgree Agree [9] Reply Report Abuse


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