Swastika Mukherjee Skips Bengali Film Shibpur Trailer Launch Amid Sexual Harassment Claims Against Producer

Actor Swastika Mukherjee, who earlier lodged a complaint against 'Shibpur' producer of sexual harassment and threat, skipped the trailer launch of the upcoming film in Kolkata.

Photo courtesy: Instagram

New Delhi: Actor Swastika Mukherjee, who had earlier alleged sexual harassment against the producers of her film 'Shibpur', announced that she would skip all promotional events of the upcoming Bengali film. The trailer launch of 'Shibpur' took place on Tuesday and the actor was not a part of the event. Her decision comes in the wake of her complaint against the film's producer for sending her threatening emails and morphed photos 

Swastika took to Facebook and informed her fans writing, "To all my journalist friends who have been calling and messaging me for the past few days to ask whether I will be attending the trailer launch of my film Shibpur, well I will not. I am not in Kolkata but even if I was in the city I would not have attended. Anyone telling you otherwise is lying."

"Sexual harassment is not a joke and there is no forgiveness for it. And neither is there any redemption. The producers may think all is chill and cool but IT IS NOT. IT WILL NEVER BE. But #Shibpur is my film and I will definitely share the trailer for my followers and fans. Thank you," she added.

SHIBPUR TRAILER LAUNCHED

SWASTIKA MUKHERJEE ACCUSES FILM PRODUCER

Swastika had accused producer Sandeep Sarkar of sexual harassment. As per HT, the actor officially lodged a complaint at Kolkata's Golf Green Police Station in March this year and sought help from the Eastern India Motion Pictures Association (EIMPA). She claimed that she received threatening emails from Sandeep Sarkar and his associates to 'cooperate' with them. She also added that they claimed to have her morphed, 'nude' pictures which they threatened to leak on pornography websites.

'HE MORPHED BY PICS'

Narrating the incident, Swastika told OTT Play, "It all started pretty randomly. During the entire course of shooting and dubbing, I have never been introduced to Sandeep Sarkar. It was another co-producer Ajanta Sinha Roy who communicated with us. Suddenly, Sandeep Sarkar started sending me threatening emails. He claimed that he was an American citizen and that if I didn’t ‘cooperate’ with them he would get in touch with the US Consulate so that I never get a US visa. He also threatened to drag me to the Police Commissioner, Chief Minister, and so on. Now I have absolutely no idea what this ‘cooperation’ means. I shot the film and dubbed it and I never intended not to participate in promotional activities. Initially, the film was scheduled to release in March. I emailed my available dates to them. There was no response. Later, they shifted the release. And yet they did not bother to let me know. I got to know it from our director and again mailed him my available dates."

Talking about Swastika Mukherjee's upcoming Bengali film 'Shibpur', it is directed by Arindam Bhattacharya. It also features Susmita Chatterjee, Parambrata Chatterjee, Mamata Shankar and others in key roles. It is scheduled to release on June 30, 2023.