BENGALURU: The Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC) on Monday said it would call both actress Sruthi Hariharan and actor Arjun Sarja, who she has accused of sexually harassing her, and find an amicable solution.
“The members of KFCC have met over the sexual harassment allegations. We will hold a meeting between Arjun and Sruthi to resolve the issue,” KFCC president S A Chinne Gowda told reporters after the film body’s meeting. Former KFCC president Sa Ra Govindu who was present said the meeting would be held on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Arjun’s father-in-law and senior Kannada actor Rajesh haslodged a complaint against the actress with the KFCC for ‘defaming’ Arjun.
Arjun will file a defamation case against Sruthi in the Madras or Karnataka High Court, or both, said his friend and film distributor Prasanth Sambargi. Sarja will address a press conference on Friday, Sambargi told reporters at KFCC on Monday.
Sambargi recalled the audio release function of the duo’s movie Vismaya and said, “She (Sruthi) spoke for 28 minutes and heaped praise on his family. She said Sarja was like family and that she was like his daughter. She even said she strikes a good rapport with his daughter Aishwarya Arjun. Either she lied then or she is lying now.”
On being asked if actor Arjun Sarja confided in him about Sruthi’s allegations, Prashanth Sambargi said, “He swore that he did not view her with any bad intentions and neither did he flirt with her. All he did was work with her.”
He also questioned her being invited to a media house’s conclave (in January this year) where she had first spoken about the casting couch in Sandalwood.
“She has spoken many years after the alleged incident. If one connects the dots between her allegations from the time of that conclave till now, you will see a shift in her stance,” he said.