New Delhi: Filmmaker-producer Sajid Khan has been courting controversy ever since he began participating in 'Bigg Boss 16'. Many have called out the show and Colors channel for allowing Sajid Khan, who has been earlier accused of sexual misconduct, to participate in the show while others have rallied support for his right to earn after so many years. Now, the Federation of Western India Cine Employees( FWICE) has expressed that Sajid Khan has been punished for his alleged misconduct and that he should now be allowed to work for a living. After many women accused him of sexual harrassment in the wake of the #MeToo movement in India, Sajid was banned by FWICE for a year.
Sajid Khan is currently playing a contestant in 'Bigg Boss' and his participation is being perceived as an attempt to rehabilitate him.
Earlier, Delhi Commission for Women's chief Swati Maliwal had called for Sajid Khan's removal from the reality TV show. In response to which, the FWICE said in a statement that according to the body's view, the filmmaker should be allowed to work now that he has served his one-year ban.
Swati Maliwal had also written to the I&B minister Anurag Thakur about the matter and also later also said that she received rape threats for reporting the matter.
According to the FWICE statement, which they have also shared on their social media handle, the body has requested Anurag Thakur to not initiate action against the filmmaker on the basis of Swati Maliwal's complaint.
The FWICE letter read, "After carefully going through the entire proceedings of the POSH committee of IFTDA and considering the opinions of the legal team FWICE, the FWICE also endorsed the action against Director Sajid Khan and seconded the decision of IFTDA of BAN on Shri Sajid Khan for one year.” It continued, “Shri Sajid Khan had cooperated with the IFTDA and FWICE and obeyed the decision of the POSH Committee. FWICE was satisfied with his behaviour during the period of his Ban and after completion of the one year of this punishment the BAN on Shri Sajid Khan was lifted by the FWICE on 14.03 2019 Shri Sajid Khan has now entered into the BIGG BOSS to earn his living.”
Sajid was in the middle of producing 'Housefull 4' when the accusations came to light. Akshay Kumar, who was part of the project, came out in support of the actor and said that if all goes well and if Sajid is acquitted, he would surely work with him in the future.
Sajid Khan is preparing to make his directorial comeback with '100%' featuring the likes of John Abraham, Riteish Deshmukh, Nora Fatehi and Shehnaaz Gill.