BENGALURU: Veteran actor-turned-politician Ambareesh’s attempts to bring about a compromise between actor Sruthi Hariharan and actor-director Arjun Sarja, whom she has accused of improperly touching her and of sexual harassment, failed on Thursday. It was clear that nothing had improved when despite Ambareesh’s request at the end of the meet that both Arjun and Sruthi at least shake hands before leaving the premises of Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC) (where the meeting took place), neither agreed to it and walked away.
A marathon three-hour discussions, chaired by KFCC president Chinne Gowda and attended by other biggies of Sandalwood, which began with Ambareesh talking separately to Arjun Sarja and then Sruthi for 45 minutes each, yielded nothing. Neither yielded any ground to help Ambareesh bring about a compromise, let alone resolve the issue fuelled by the #MeToo campaign — especially on a day when Arjun had filed a `5 crore defamation suit against Sruthi.
Arjun bluntly said: “There is no room for compromise. Do not mistake me, but I am really hurt. This should set an example to every ordinary person that nobody should be sacrificed. The matter is in court and truth will prevail. Till then, we have to wait and watch who is the culprit. Whoever it is will be punished. Everybody is under the law.”
He indicated to a larger conspiracy behind Sruthi’s allegation. “There is somebody behind all this who is all out to spoil my reputation, and I don’t know who or why they are doing this. The truth will prevail, and it will need time. Everyone will have to wait till then.”
Sruthi too was adamant. On a possible compromise, Sruthi outrightly said ‘No’. “Why is it that you expect women to get bogged down? This is the problem that happened to me! Why should I compromise?”
About the failed outcome of the discussions, Ambareesh later said, “We can’t push them because they are the two who are hurt. But Arjun thinks of his family and two daughters. This side, Sruthi puts her mother in front. We have told them to speak to their respective families and come to a decision. Let them come and tell me.”Ambareesh felt the matter may not have ballooned into such a huge issue had there been an effective Internal Complaints Committee (ICC). He said KFCC is in the process of creating an ICC.
Ambareesh said, “It was our wish to see both compromise ... (But) I am not a supremo, nor a judge. I am an actor. The Chamber called me because I am a senior person.” Arjun said, “#MeToo is a good movement and a stage for every woman, but this should not be misused ... but by saying ‘He hugged me while shooting for the film’, or ‘called me out for dinner’, #MeToo will lose its value.”
Sruthi said, “Two days back, I got a call from the film chamber asking me to attend the meeting. I had said I would not take any kind of legal action and told my lawyers to hold the complaint because I respect the Chamber. The Chamber has taken time till Friday morning and will revert to me with a decision. Arjun Sarja Sir has filed two cases and I am glad he wants to fight in the court.”
But when asked by reporters after the meeting why she did not prefer to take the issue to the Chamber when she had faith in it, she said, “It’s a wasted question”, and walked out. Those present include Producers’ Association president Munirathna; producer Rockline Venkatesh; former KFCC chief Sa Ra Govindu; director-lyricist Nagendra Prasad and director Kavitha Lankesh.