Actor sends legal notice to director

Kolkata: A Tollywood actor has sent a legal notice to director Debaloy Bhattacharya, asking him to issue an unconditional public apology within seven days over allegations that he sexually harassed her in 2020. The director told TOI that the accusations were false and intended to malign him.Addressing the media on Monday, she accused Bhattacharya of trying to outrage her modesty by using criminal force at the post-wrap party of his web series, ‘Pabitra Paapis'. She alleged that, while intoxicated, he dragged her into a vacant room. She said she managed to escape, but the trauma stayed with her. She also alleged that he continued making derogatory remarks about her until 2026 and tried to systematically damage her career by using his personal contacts and influence in the industry.The notice stated that she shared her experience in the comments under Bhattacharya's May 11 Facebook post on professional integrity. According to her, the post was deleted immediately. Six days later, at a premiere, he again made derogatory remarks about her in public. "I have sent him a legal notice where I have asked him to tender an unconditional public apology to me and issue statements in the media stating that all derogatory statements made by him about me are false and baseless," she said.Bhattacharya denied the allegations and said that they were timed to defame him ahead of the June release of his film, ‘Bhugun'.