Saif Ali Khan faced harassment 25 years ago, actor backs MeToo movement

New Delhi: Bollywood is hit by the wave of #MeToo campaign and a number of biggies have been named as alleged sexual predators. After rocking the Hollywood film industry, this side of the showbiz world too has witnessed a huge surge in the number of sexual harassment allegations being leveled up against popular names such as Subhash Ghai, Vikas Bahl, Alok Nath, Nana Patekar among many others.

Superstar Saif Ali Khan told PTI that he is in solidarity with the women who have opened up on the horrifying instances of sexual harassment faced at work place. Saif said, “I have also been harassed in my career, not sexually, but I have been harassed 25 years ago and I am still angry about it. Most people don't understand other people. It is very difficult to understand other people's pain. I don't want to talk about it because I am not important today. Even when I think about what happened with me I still get angry. Today, we have to look after women.”

"People are offended and they want justice. What it is happening is good and it gives you a sense that something is happening. You are removing someone (from the job) and it is a big deal. You are removing a person, but everybody has worked on a project so you have to balance things. People who have sexually harassed and abused women should pay for it”, he said.

Filmmaker Sajid Khan has been accused of sexual harassment by a former co-worker and as a fallout, he stepped down as the director of the upcoming film 'Housefull 4'. Saif worked with Sajid in 'Humshakals' which also starred Bipasha Basu and Esha Gupta, who backed the MeToo movement claiming that Sajid's behaviour was 'rude' towards women.

Recalling his experience during 'Humshakals', Saif said, "I don't remember anything like this happening genuinely because if it would have happened I would not have been comfortable in that environment or allowed it to happen in front of me. I would hate an atmosphere where women are being looked down upon or mistreated in any way. I don't think that's how an atmosphere should be.”

"We all need to have the same attitude. I don't want to work with them. We have to understand that how these people are behaving, it is not ok, it is disgusting”, he quipped.

The #MeToo campaign kickstarted in Bollywood after actress Tanushree Dutta alleged that senior actor Nana Patekar harassed her while they were shooting a song for 'Horn Ok Pleassss' in 2008. The latter, however, has denied any such incident.