First-time director Puja Jatinder Bedi alleges the actor misbehaved on the sets of Mary Magdalene

Bharti Dubey (MUMBAI MIRROR; April 06, 2011)

When the whole industry was keeping Shiney Ahuja at arm’s length because of the rape charges, one director decided to give the man a chance.

But Puja Jatinder Bedi, set to release her directorial venture Mary Magdalene, said her gesture backfired on her.

She has alleged that the actor, jailed for seven years for the rape of his maid, was no shining example of good behaviour with women on the sets and even made a pass at her.

Bedi said he made her uncomfortable by insisting she accompany him to his room to discuss the film there. “He would call me in and send the rest of the unit out. He even tried to hug me a couple of times and I had to be firm in my refusal.”

Bedi said Shiney’s co-star Sayali Bhagat had also complained that he made inappropriate comments on her clothes and looks on the sets.

“For a scene in a coffee shop, he told me he needed to hold hands with her for a while to feel the energy and warmth,” said Bedi, who has earlier been the line producer for films such as Saathiya and Mangal Pandey.

Sayali confirmed the incident. She said, “He held my hand, took me to a corner and talked about how he did the scenes with Kangna and Shilpa.

My mother stayed with me through the shooting because of his suspicious behaviour. He misbehaved with others, including Puja.”

Bedi said, “The day a crucial scene More >