Kannada director Guruprasad’s sexist tirade is being widely criticized. Kannada director Guruprasad’s sexist tirade is being widely criticized.

Kannada filmmaker Guruprasad is the latest to join the league of male celebrities who have made shocking comments discrediting the #MeToo movement. He accused actors Sangeetha Bhat and Sruthi Hariharan of misusing the #MeToo platform to “show their family that they are not like others in the industry.”

Even though Guruprasad has not been named publicly, actor Sangeetha Bhat’s #MeToo story has put him under the scanner. Speaking with the press on Tuesday, the director said he has not crossed the line while directing Sangeetha. “I shot a bareback scene with her. And when I filmed that scene, I had my wife and daughter present on the set,” he said.

“The actors who are making such allegation now want to prove their chastity to their husband and in-laws,” he alleged.

Guruprasad said he was aware of the allegations against him. “But I choose to remain silent. That does not mean that I don’t know how to reply to the allegations. If we men begin speaking out, they will have to commit suicide. That makes me cautious,” he said according to Deccan Herald.

Also read | #MeToo: Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce to hold a reconciliation meeting between Sruthi Hariharan and Arjun Sarja

The filmmaker also had another theory as to why female actors are recounting their experiences of sexual harassment. He even went on to suggest that the public usually has doubts about the characters of women who work in the film industry. “She (Sruthi Hariharan) is making this allegation after two years. Within this period, she got married. And her husband is not from the film industry. Her father and mother-in-law must have concerns about her career life. I think now she may feel that if I make such a statement at this time, my husband and in-laws might think I am pure and innocent,” he said.

He also alleged that Sruthi has a motive to gain publicity in other south Indian film industries by targeting Arjun Sarja. “You are from Kerala, who speaks Tamil and makes a living in Karnataka. Why are you polluting our Kannada soil? Go back to Tamil Nadu,” Guruprasad said in an interaction with News 18 Kannada.

“She knows that she is not beautiful or talented. And she has no market. She is now attacking Arjun Sarja probably to create a market for her in Tamil, Telugu industries,” he claimed.

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