Netflix has decided to go ahead with Season 2 of its critically acclaimed Indian Original series, Sacred Games, putting aside controversial #MeToo allegations against the core creative team of the series –producer-directors, Anurag Kashyap and Vikramaditya Motwane, and writer, Varun Grover.
In a statement released to the press, Netflix revealed that it had conducted an independent investigation into the allegations, and satisfied with the results, has decided to go ahead with Sacred Games, Season 2.
In the wake of the devastating #MeToo allegations raised against Vikas Bahl, partner at the now-defunct Phantom Films, the future of the successful web series had been hazy at best. Anurag Kashyap and Vikramaditya Motwane, partners at Phantom Films, and co-producers of the show, had been charged with inaction in the sexual assault allegations against Bahl.
Sexual misbehaviour charges against writer Varun Grover had also surfaced online, but there has been no further information on the charges since then. Varun Grover had vehemently denied the anonymously posted charges and declared them to be “completely fabricated and defamatory”.
Even as the tsunami of the #MeToo movement had threatened to engulf Netflix’s most successful Indian offering, the streaming platform decided to take the bull by the horns and conducted its own systematic probe into the allegations. Subsequently, giving a clean chit to the men under fire, it has now decided to go ahead with its collaboration with the trio.
The statement from Netflix reads: ‘After an independent investigation, the results helped inform Netflix’s decision to continue with Vikramaditya Motwane and Anurag Kashyap on season 2 of Sacred Games. We continue to collaborate with our production partners to ensure and maintain a safe and respectful working environment.’
Filming on the series, slated to begin in late autumn, has now been pushed to March, according to latest reports.
