Indian film industry with the Film and TV Producers’ Guild on Monday called for a ban on actor Shakti Kapoor after he was filmed by a local TV channel allegedly offering a woman help with her acting career in Bollywood in exchange for sexual favours.
The video footage, broadcasted on «India's Most Wanted show, purportedly shows the actor in a hotel room making indecent proposals to a female reporter aspiring to enter the Bombay film industry. In the 40-minute video, he also names a few Indian actresses who allegedly had sex with top producers and directors in exchange for roles.
"The Guild is advising its members not to engage Shakti Kapoor for any work in any of their productions," Supran Sen, secretary-general of the Film and Television Producers Guild of India Ltd., said in a statement, according to Reuters.
However, Kapoor, famous for his numerous roles of villains, said the channel trapped him and claimed the clip was altered to stain his good name.
"I am pained at the way the channel framed me. I have no doubt it was an attempt to tarnish my reputation," he said.
The tapes have been doctored. I never touched her."
He told Reuters he he had apologized to all the actors mentioned in his conversation with the reporter.
"With folded hands I have apologised to the entire film industry, including Subhash Ghai, Preity Zinta, Aishwarya Rai, Rani Mukherjee who are close to me," the actor said.
"I had no intention to hurt them. The whole thing was doctored and tampered and, in case they still feel hurt, I am ready to apologise again."
Some industry leaders didn't seem to be bothered by the scandal or expressed their support to Kapoor.
As reported AP, Producer Mahesh Bhatt said soliciting sex in exchange for roles "is Bollywood's best-known secret."
Pehlaj Nihalani, president of the industry group All India Motion Pictures and Television Producers Association, said he thought Kapoor had been framed.
"It was a well-laid out plan. An edited version of the video was shown," Nihalani said. "It was a planned conspiracy to defame him."
Guild spokesman Anandya Dasgupta said the group could consider withdrawing the ban on Kapoor, who has acted in more than 300 movies, if he apologized.