Anees Bazmi to sue Israeli actress

Anees Bazmi is speaking to a lawyer to deal with the starlet Rina Golan, who accused him and others of sexual harassment

Following Israeli wannabe-actress Rina Golan's lurid confessions from the casting couch, the accused, Subhash Ghai and Anees Bazmi caught up earlier this week for a decisive meeting on the issue of producers and directors combating sexual harassment charges.

Says a source, "After he read the Israeli girl's accusations, Anees met Subhash Ghai who was also named as one of the accused. While Ghai chose to be calm over the matter Anees took the allegations personally. He felt that such accusations against producers-filmmakers were becoming prevalent in the industry and that strong measures need to be taken."

Apparently, Ghai and Bazmi are in favour of banning imported chorus girls and junior artistes to feature in Bollywood. A proposal to this effect has been put forward. Anees is said to be in consultation with his lawyers. "I'm speaking to them to see what can be done. A defamation case is long and expensive.

This girl has tried to hurt my reputation. To this day you will never come across one girl in the film industry who finds me perverse." So has Anees ever met Golan? 'It took me a long time to even remember her name. She was in a crowd scene in my Welcome. I was told she played one of the spectators in a scene featuring Katrina in a shopping-mall fire. I can't remember her face."

A move that is being planned is to curtail the participation of Caucasian chorus dancers in song-and-dance sequences. Mukesh Bhatt, member of the Film Federation Of India, says the Federation has already passed a ruling to that effect.

Says Bhatt, "We found that a lot of film producers were unnecessarily using white-skinned girls in dances. This is no longer permissible. These foreigners are eating into the jobs for the local girls. Some of the girls who are here to get roles are willing to go to any lengths to be successful."

Surprisingly Mahesh Bhatt was guarded in his comments. "Casting couch is a reality. I have no way of confirming or rejecting the lady's allegations." Raza Murad, also a member of the Cine and Television Artistes Association feels banning outsiders is not the solution. "We need white-skinned girls in our films but with proper work permits. This girl (Rina Golan) has done this to sell her book. Why didn't she raise a hue and cry about it when she was here?"