Sherlyn Chopra, who accused Sajid Khan of harassment, seeks Anurag Thakur's intervention to remove director from 'Bigg Boss 16'

Film-maker Sajid Khan's entry as a participant in the popular reality TV series 'Bigg Boss 16' has brought back the 2018 #MeToo debate.

Model-actress Sherlyn Chopra, who accused Khan of sexual harassment in 2018, wrote a letter to Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur, seeking his intervention to remove the director from the famed TV show.

In her tweet, the 38-year-old requested the I&B minister to either cancel the broadcast of the show or stop Khan removed from appearing. "There can be no higher TRP rating than the dignity and safety of any woman," she wrote.



Chopra took to Twitter to share that she filed a police complaint against film-maker Sajid Khan on Thursday at the Juhu Police Station in Mumbai. The actress wanted people to know about her traumatic experience that took place in 2005 and make sure no other woman falls victim to molesters.

"We would not like to disclose the sections but we have filed it under outraging a woman’s modesty. We have also mentioned how he has come on the Bigg Boss show to whitewash his image. Sherlyn Chopra has dispatched the complaint to the police also marking deputy commissioner as well as the National Women’s Commission," the actress' spokesperson was quoted as saying to ETimes.


Besides Chopra, many celebrities such as Tanushree Dutta, Sona Mohapatra and Ali Fazal have objected to Khan's appearance in the show.

Last week, the Delhi Commission For Women (DCW) chief Swati Maliwal wrote to Thakur, seeking the removal of Khan from the reality show over allegations of sexual harassment levelled against him by several women during the #MeToo movement.

While there is a public outcry against Khan's inclusion in the show, Maliwal said the makers of the show are refusing to remove him as they apparently gain TRP ratings and viewership due to the ensuing controversy. She requested Thakur to intervene in the matter and take necessary action.

The first episode of Bigg Boss' 16th season aired on October 1. The show is hosted by actor Salman Khan.

In the wake of the #MeToo movement in 2018, nine women (Chopra, Jiah Khan, Saloni Chopra, Racheal White, Mandana Karimi, Simran Suri, Aahana Kumra, Dimple Paul and journalist Karishma Upadhyaya) from the industry - who worked with Khan on his various projects - had accused the film-maker of sexually harassing them. He was accused of flashing his private parts at parties, asking actresses to send him their nude pictures as part of the casting process and watching porn in women's presence.


Earlier that year, he also stepped down as director of "Housefull 4" and was replaced by Farhad Samji. He also faced a year-long suspension from the Indian Film and Television Directors' Association.