Bollywood Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap has released a press statement through his lawyer Priyanka Khimani on the accusations of sexual misconduct against him by actor Payal Ghosh. The statement says that all of the allegations against him are false and that he will pursue the case through legal means.

The statement which was tweeted by Kashyap on Monday reads, “Kashyap is deeply pained by the false allegations of sexual misconduct that have recently surfaced against him. These allegations are completely false, malicious and dishonest. It is sad that a social movement as important as the #metoo movement has been co-opted by vested interests and reduced to a mere tool for character assassination.”

 “Fictitious allegations of this nature seriously undermine the movement and seek to unconscionably trade upon the pain and trauma of actual victims of sexual harassment and abuse. My client has been advised about his rights and remedies in law and intends to pursue them to the fullest extent – Priyanka Khimani,” it further clarifies.

Notably, Ghosh on Saturday alleged in an interview that the director “forced himself on her” around the time of the shooting of the film ‘Bombay Velvet’. She further tweeted demanding help from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Also read: ‘Anurag Kashyap made me feel uncomfortable’, actor Payal Ghosh says in new statement

Her tweet was acknowledged by the Chairperson of National Commission of Women, Rekha Sharma, who suggested Ghosh filing a legal complaint against Kashyap. 

Later, the filmmaker denied the accusations made against him in a series of tweets. Many Bollywood stars including actor Taapsee Pannu, Radhika Apte and Tisca Chopra came out in support of him.