Bollywood News

Bollywood director Madhur Bhandarkar, accused of sexually abusing an aspiring actress in a high-profile "casting couch" scandal last year, says he now has someone else cast the actors and actresses in his movies, a newspaper reported on Wednesday.

Last year, upcoming actress Preetii Jain said Bhandarkar, who directed the popular movies Chandni Bar and Page 3, had repeatedly raped her over five years after promising her a film role. Bhandarkar has denied the charges.

The case took a sensational twist earlier this month when police arrested Jain in Mumbai for allegedly hiring a mafia shooter to kill Bhandarkar. The alleged contract killer was also arrested.

The director told that he was taking precautions to prevent more allegations of abuse.

"I have a casting director now who decides on the appropriate cast, depending on the role, character and the script," he was quoted as saying by the newspaper.