Bollywood Director Arrested in Rape Case

Film director and producer Shakeel Noorani, 73, was arrested by the Malvani Police in the early hours of August 8 after being traced to a farmhouse in Medha, Satara district. Known for directing movies like Bade Dil Wala (1999) and Joru Ka Ghulam (2000), Noorani was brought to Mumbai following a sexual assault complaint filed by a 33-year-old female actor.

According to the First Information Report (FIR), the victim first met Noorani at a Lokhandwala award show in 2016, where he invited her to discuss potential roles. The actor alleged that during a subsequent visit to his Malvani residence to review a script, Noorani gave her a spiked drink that rendered her unconscious and sexually assaulted her.

The complainant further detailed a pattern of ongoing abuse and coercion:

• Blackmail: Noorani allegedly recorded the initial assault and used the video to threaten her against contacting her family or the police, enabling repeated sexual assaults.

• Forced Contraception: The actor stated that Noorani repeatedly administered contraceptive pills to her following the alleged encounters.

• Medical Impact: The survivor, who returned to Mumbai in 2026 seeking financial aid for medical treatment, reported severe long-term impacts from the continuous administration of sedatives and drugs.

The Malvani Police have charged the 73-year-old filmmaker under Sections 64(2)(M), 123, 351(2), and 88 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The Borivali holiday court has remanded Noorani to police custody until August 12 to allow investigators to determine if similar offenses occurred at other locations.

Defending the director, advocate Vikas Singh Goar denied the claims, stating that his client has been falsely implicated. "The allegations made by the actress are yet to be established before a court, and the investigation is underway," Goar said. "Noorani is presumed innocent unless proven guilty."