Bahl files defamation
Filmmaker Vikas Bahl has moved the Bombay High Court with a Rs 10-crore defamation suit against his former Phantom Films partners Anurag Kashyap and Vikramaditya Motwane amid the #MeToo furore. Bahl sought direction from the court to restrain the two from making any statement about him to the media or via social media. The court posted the matter so that the alleged victim's side of the story can also be heard in the court's chambers. Bahl was accused of sexual harassment by a former employee of the film collective Phantom Films, for an incident that took place in 2015 in Goa during the promotion of the banner's movie Bombay Velvet. The allegation resurfaced after the #MeToo movement gained momentum in India, leading some others, including actress Kangana Ranaut, to point fingers at Bahl's behaviour towards women.
‘There are so many people involved and more things will come out. We can't comment on every individual case. As an industry, we are trying to come together and constructively make a system where we all have a safe environment. I am part of that and hope we make a system that is equal and genderless for every human being.’
—Radhika Apte
Music composer A.R. Rahman said working with Shah Rukh Khan on Jai hind hind, jai India was an “interesting” experience. Rahman directed the actor for the first time for the official video of the song for Odisha Hockey Men's World Cup Bhubaneswar 2018. The song is penned by Gulzar. “Gulzarji and I are extremely excited to share with you our latest song Jai Hind, hind, Jai India. Having SRK join us made it even more interesting,” said Rahman. “I hope you enjoy it. We’ve created it after two decades of having created Vande mataram,” he added.
Had a troubled marriage: Elle
Singer Elle King said that she battled substance abuse and depression after “destructive marriage.” She cancelled her wedding to a man she had actually already secretly married; split from said husband after a tumultuous year; and battled substance abuse, depression and post traumatic stress disorder. Today, King hopes to share her story on her new album, Shake the Spirit. “Last year almost broke me,” King, 29, said, “but I'm stronger now because of it.” She added, “We were two young, crazy people,” and insists no one — not even her parents — knew she was married. “Before we even met, I had started kind of losing my mind,” she said about marrying Andrew Ferguson.
