Mumbai: Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap is deeply pained by the false allegations of sexual misconduct that have surfaced against him, says his lawyer Priyanka Khimani, who feels that the MeToo movement has been reduced to a mere tool for character assassination.

On Saturday, actress Payal Ghosh alleged that Kashyap tried to molest her in 2014. Kashyap called the charge baseless.

On Monday, Kashyap tweeted a statement from his lawyer that reads: “My client, Anurag Kashyap, has been 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. Fictious allegations of this nature seriously undermine the movement and seek to unconscionably trade upon the pain and trauma of the actual victims of sexual harassment and abuse. My client has been fully advised of his rights and remedies in law and intends to pursue them to the fullest extent.”

Along with the statement, Kashyap wrote: “And here is the statement from my lawyer @PriyankaKhimani .. on my behalf .. thank You.”

Ever since Payal levelled the charges, Kashyap has received support from several other Bollywood colleagues including filmmakers Anubhav Sinha, Hansal Mehta, Ram Gopal Varma, and Vasan Bala. His ex-wives Aarti Bajaj and Kalki Koechlin have stood by him as have actresses Taapsee Pannu, Tisca Chopra, Surveen Chawla, and Mahie Gill among others.

(IANS)