FWICE threatens to issue non-cooperation notice against Alok Nath, Sajid Khan

Director Sajid Khan and actor Alok Nath are among the two high profile names called out for sexual harassment in the #MeToo movement. While Khan is accused of sexual harassment, Nath has been accused of rape by writer-director Vinta Nanda.  

The two are still to respond to the Federation of Western India Cine Employees’ (FWICE) notice. The FWICE has threatened to issue a non-cooperation notice against the duo if they do not reply to the notice.

Speaking to Cinestaan.com, FWICE president BN Tiwari said, “There is still about 4-5 days for them [Alok Nath, Sajid Khan] to respond to the showcause notice, but we haven’t received any reply from them as yet. If they do not respond then we will issue a non-cooperation notice against them.”

FWICE had given 10 days to Khan and Nath to respond to the notice. In the event of them failing to reply and FWICE issuing a non-cooperation notice against them, would the two men be stopped from working or are producers free to hire them, unless they, too, pass a similar notice?

“We have about five lakh members at FWICE. We direct our workers to not work in any project where these men are associated with.  The notice will be carried by the media, and importantly it will be published in trade magazines. There’s no way they can work when our five lakh workers will refuse to work with them,” affirmed Twari.

Meanwhile, there have been few more names who stand as accused.  The prominent case is that of filmmaker Vikas Bahl, who has been accused of sexually harassing a former Phantom Films employee.  The victim has apparently refused to file a criminal complaint against Bahl. Tiwari cautioned that unless victims don’t report these matters to the workers’ union, they wouldn’t be able to anything about those cases.

“We want victims to write written complaints to us. Please don’t go to the media, or post on social media. Report these matters first to us. Unless they do so, we will not be able to do anything about these cases,” said Tiwari.