Sajid accused of harassment: Sister Farah, cousin Farhan react; Bipasha, Esha open up

Mumbai: Farah Khan Friday said the sexual harassment allegations against her filmmaker-brother Sajid Khan are "heartbreaking".

In a statement, posted on Twitter, the director-choreographer, said she completely stands in solidarity with any woman who has faced harassment.

"This is a heartbreaking time for my family. We have to work through some very difficult issues. If my brother has behaved in this manner, he has a lot to atone for. I don't in any way endorse this behaviour and stand in solidarity with any woman who has been hurt," she wrote.

Sajid was accused of sexual harassment by two women, actor Saloni Chopra and a journalist.

Following the allegations, Sajid Friday stepped down as the director of ‘Housefull 4.’

In a post on Twitter, the director said he was taking the "moral responsibility" to step down till he can allay the allegations.

"In the wake of the allegations against me and the pressure being put on my family, my producer and the stars of my film 'Housefull 4', I must take the moral responsibility of stepping down from my directorial post, till the time I can allay the allegations and prove the truth. Request my friends in the media to kindly not pass judgment till the truth is out," he said.

Sajid's cousin, actor Farhan Akhtar, who has been a vocal supporter of #MeToo movement, said allegations against the filmmaker were shocking.

"I cannot adequately stress how shocked, disappointed and heartbroken I am to read the stories about Sajid's behaviour. I don't know how but he will have to find a way to atone for his alleged actions," he tweeted.

Bipasha Basu, who was directed by Sajid in ‘Humshakals’, didn’t face the same kind of harassment as the two women had, but she had her fair share of issues with him.

"I am glad that women are speaking up about the atrocities of these men with power and clout... But nothing of that sort happened with me... It was just his general attitude towards women that would disturb me on set- he cracked lewd jokes openly and was pretty rude to all girls.

"I was told by all not to say anything to him and stoop to his level- so I quietly finished my work as a professional and explained my stance to the producers, that I couldn't associate myself with this film anymore as I could lose my temper any moment," she posted on Twitter.

Another member of the ‘Humshakals’ team, Esha Gupta echoes Bipasha’s views."I mean not such harassment but there were incidents where he and I got into arguments, but as I said, even if it is just a statement, or just like abusing, that is also harassing a person. Like I said, only outsiders will know this. The insiders [stars kids] don’t go through this. The so-called nepotism kids say, 'Oh, we also have to go through it’. No, you don’t have to go through it, but we [outsiders] have to,” Esha told Cinestaan.com.

With more and more accusations and not just an isolated case, it seems #TimesUp for Sajid Khan.