IFTDA sends show cause notice to Vikas Bahl

Indian Film & Television Directors' Association (IFTDA) has sent a show cause notice to filmmaker Vikas Bahl after allegations of sexual harassment resurfaced against the director.

Last year, a woman employee at Phantom Films, which had Bahl as one of the partners along side Anurag Kashyap, Vikramaditya Motwane and Madhu Mantena, had alleged that Bahl behaved inappropriately with her during a trip to Goa.

"IFTDA has taken a stern stand against Vikas Bahl by issuing a show cause notice and asked him to respond within one week's time, failing which his membership will be terminated," the statement read.

The association said it has immediately set up a women grievances redressal cell.

The three member all women committee will be headed by celebrated TV and film director Swapna Waghmare Joshi as chairperson with Bhavna Talwar as convenor and Priyanka Ghatak as co-convenor, supported by the entire executive commitee of IFTDA.

"This is being done to crate a safe place for its women professionals and will only be strengthened when directors and production houses pledge to work for the government sanctioned POSH (Prevention of Sexual Harassement at Workplace) guidelines.

"This will only lead to the creation of confidence among not only the experienced seniors but the posterity of female professionals who are planning to enter the industry in the future," the statement read.

The Producers Guild of India, also extended its support "to the movement to call out and report sexual harassment and abuse whenever and wherever it occurs in our industry."