Amidst the shocking revelations of sexual harassment in the Malayalam film industry, similar accusations have begun to surface in Bengali cinema as well. Recently, a Bengali actress accused well-known director Arindam Sil of sexual harassment. In his defense, Arindam stated that his behavior was unintentional, which further enraged the actress. She responded by announcing that she would take legal action against him.
According to the actress’s complaint, the incident occurred on April 3rd during the shooting of the TV serial Ekti Khunir Sandhane Khunir at a resort. During the shoot, Arindam Sil allegedly asked her to sit on his lap. Shocked by the inappropriate request, she hesitated, but Arindam, in a threatening tone, insisted, “I’m telling you, sit down.” Out of fear, the actress complied, and Arindam then kissed her on the cheek.
The actress recounted that many people were present at the time, but everyone just smiled, acting as though nothing had happened. When she confronted Arindam about his behavior, he reportedly responded dismissively, saying, “What’s wrong? Didn’t you enjoy it?” The actress expressed her disappointment, stating that it was unacceptable for the director to now claim his actions were accidental. She confirmed her intention to pursue legal action against him.
In an interview with The Times of India, Arindam Sil addressed the allegations, saying that whatever had happened was unintentional, and he apologized if his actions caused discomfort to the actress. He added that he was leaving everything to time.
Following the actress’s complaint with the West Bengal Commission for Women, Arindam Sil was suspended from his position at the Directors’ Association of Eastern India (DAEI).