Bengaluru: A day after he was accused of taking revenge against actor Arjun Sarja through actress Sruthi Hariharan, actor-activist and founding member of Film Industry for Rights and Equality (FIRE) Chetan on Tuesday countered the allegations by making public email communication between him and Sarja in March 2016.
“Yesterday's (Oct 22) events and accusations have left me feeling low, dejected that doing the right thing so often comes with personal and emotional costs. The political, religious, and personal grudge brushes that are being used to paint our struggle for a gender sensitive and equitable Kannada Film Industry disappoint me and delegitimize our idealistic intentions,” Chetan wrote in his Facebook account.
He said, “What hurt was that a person like Mr Sarja who I had respected for three years is coming across as someone who will stoop to any level or allow people close to him to do the same just to undermine those fighting for a safe and healthy industry that provides dignity and respect for women.”
Making the emails public, he highlighted Mr Sarja writing to him that he (Arjun) shall certainly look forward for that day when he will cast him (Chetan) in his next movie that will be 'tailor-made,' in all ways.
Arjun has written in mail, “In fact if you (Chetan) would like me to, I can announce it right away that you will be the lead in my next movie. My word on it. The advance can be carried forward for the same.”
On Monday, a close friend of Arjun Sarja’s, Prashanth Sambargi, claimed that Chetan was behind the entire controversy and that he is doing it through Sruthi as an act of vengeance for being dropped from the Arjun Sarja's film. He had even said that Chetan, who was given Rs 10 lakh as advance, had refused to return it.
