Indian Directors Served With Gov't Notice After Actresses Tell All

New Delhi (Sputnik) – After some of Bollywood’s most well-known actresses took a cue from the Harvey Weinstein scandal that rocked Hollywood and hinted at the prevalence of sexual harassment in the Indian film industry, the country's Ministry for Women and Child Development wrote to 24 prominent film producers, directors and production houses to insist that they ensure a safe, secure and inclusive environment for women they work with.

READ MORE: Six Women File Class Action Lawsuit Against ‘Weinstein Sexual Enterprise’

Minister Maneka Gandhi, in her letter, has asked all prominent Indian filmmakers to strictly adhere to the clauses enumerated in the Harassment of Women in the Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition Redressal) Act of 2013 and set up an internal complaints committee (ICC) for the redressing of grievances.

​Top-notch film producers Karan Johar, Aamir Khan, Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Anurag Kashyap, are among those who were served the Women and Child Development Ministry’s notice.

​“Bollywood filmmakers are ethically and legally accountable for the safety of not only their direct employees but of all outsourced and temporary staffs as well,” Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi said in a statement.

This proactive move by the Minister has been widely commended.

“It’s a good move by Maneka Gandhi and film producers should adhere to the guidelines of the sexual harassment legislation,” noted Indian film producer Prakash Jha told Sputnik. 

Recently Indian film actresses including Priyanka Chopra, Vidya Balan, Kangana Ranaut and Richa Chaddha, had all come out in the open to make revelations about casting couches and other forms of sexual harassment of women in the Indian film industry. However, none of them have named names.