Payal Ghosh shared this photo. (Image courtesy: iampayalghosh)

New Delhi:

Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap, on Sunday, denied all sexual assault allegations levelled against him by actress Payal Ghosh and tweeted: “All I want to say is all allegations are baseless.” Payal Ghosh, who has worked in films like Patel Ki Punjabi Shaadi and Prayanam, has recently accused the 48-year-old filmmaker of forcing himself on her in an interview with ABN Telugu. However, Anurag Kashyap dismissed the allegations in a series of tweets and described them as “an attempt to silence” him. In a long thread posted in Hindi, Anurag Kashyap wrote, “Wow, it took you so long to make an attempt to silence me. Never mind… in a bid to silence me, you have dragged another woman in this, despite being a woman. Please stick to the limits, Madame. All I want to say is all allegations are baseless.”

Payal Ghosh, in the aforementioned interview, also claimed that after sexually harassing her, Anurag Kashyap had told her that “it is okay” because other actresses he has worked with like Huma Qureshi (Gangs Of Wasseypur) and Mahi Gill (Dev D) “are just a call away.” Reacting to the allegation, the filmmaker wrote in his tweet: “Whether it’s my first wife or second, or a girlfriend… or all those actresses who worked with me… or all those female colleagues who have been working with me… I don’t indulge in such behaviour in public or otherwise. Neither do I tolerate such behaviour. Rest, whatever happens… let’s see. In the video, you can figure how true the allegations are… otherwise, just love and good wishes for you. Apologies for replying to you in Hindi for your accusations in English.”

In his latest tweet, Anurag Kashyap also wrote that he has received a number of phone calls, asking him not to respond to the allegations.

— Anurag Kashyap (@anuragkashyap72) September 19, 2020

— Anurag Kashyap (@anuragkashyap72) September 19, 2020

— Anurag Kashyap (@anuragkashyap72) September 19, 2020

Payal Ghosh, who made her Bollywood debut with the 2017 film Patel Ki Punjabi Shaadi, co-starring Rishi Kapoor and Paresh Rawal, also made an appeal to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to help her. She tweeted on Saturday: “Anurag Kashyap has forced himself on me and extremely badly. Narendra Modi ji, kindly take action and let the country see the demon behind this creative guy. I am aware that it can harm me and my security is at risk. Pls help!”

@anuragkashyap72 has forced himself on me and extremely badly. @PMOIndia@narendramodi ji, kindly take action and let the country see the demon behind this creative guy. I am aware that it can harm me and my security is at risk. Pls help! https://t.co/1q6BYsZpyx

— Payal Ghosh (@iampayalghosh) September 19, 2020

Reacting to Payal Ghosh’s tweet, National Commission for Women (NCW) chairperson Rekha Sharma asked the actress to send a detailed complaint to them on the issue and assured her that the commission will look into the matter.

Anurag Kashyap is known for directing and producing many critically acclaimed films like Gangs of Wasseypur, Queen, Choked, Gulaal, Satya and Masaan. Earlier, in 2018, when director Vikas Bahl’s name was implicated in India’s #MeToo movement, Anurag Kashyap, who co-founded production house Phantom Films with Vikas Bahl, Vikramaditya Motwane and Madhu Mantena, dissolved the production house. After the #MeToo allegations against Vikas Bahl, Mr Kashyap and Mr Motwane had issued separate statements, in which they had stated that they believe Mr Bahl is guilty of the allegations levelled against him.

Several names from the film industry have been implicated in India’s #MeToo movement like Nana Patekar, Alok Nath, Subhash Ghai, Sajid Khan, Anu Malik and others.