Saini S Johray, the acclaimed production designer behind Ranveer Singh's blockbuster Dhurandhar and Amazon Prime's The Family Man, has been granted bail after a woman accused him of sexual harassment and assault at a Chandigarh hotel. The case, registered on April 21, 2026, came to public attention only on May 25, 2026, sending shockwaves through India's film industry.timesofindia.
A Blockbuster Film, A Shattered Trust
When Dhurandhar — the Ranveer Singh-starrer directed by Aditya Dhar — became one of Bollywood's biggest hits of December 2025, raking in over ₹1,350 crore at the box office, it was celebrated as a triumph of craft and scale. Behind the screen, however, an allegation was quietly taking shape — one that would later cast a dark shadow over a key member of the film's creative team.
Saini S. Johray, the production designer associated with Dhurandhar, has been arrested by Chandigarh Police and subsequently granted bail by a district court, following a formal complaint by a young woman who alleges sexual harassment, wrongful confinement, and physical assault.
The case, now drawing national attention, raises urgent questions about power dynamics on Bollywood film sets and the vulnerability of emerging talent who enter the industry through informal trust networks.
What Happened: The Complaint, the FIR, the Arrest
The complainant — a resident of New Delhi who was originally from Chandigarh's Khudda Lahora area — was a student at the Government College of Art in Sector 10, Chandigarh, during 2025. According to her account, a faculty member shared her resume with the Dhurandhar production team, and she was subsequently hired as an Assistant Art Director on the film on September 2, 2025.
Shortly after joining the project, she alleges that Johray introduced himself as her mentor, and specifically told her he was an alumnus of the Delhi College of Art — a detail that, she said in her complaint, helped build her trust in him as a professional guide.
The alleged incident took place on the evening of September 10, 2025. According to the FIR, Johray invited the complainant to a room at the Taj Chandigarh hotel under the pretext of a work meeting. She said she initially believed other crew members would be present. Upon arriving at approximately 8:30 pm, she alleges she found herself alone with him.
The complaint further states that Johray pressured her to consume alcohol — a prepared drink containing wine and rum — and warned her not to discuss the meeting with anyone, claiming it would damage her professional reputation. After she consumed the drink, she reported feeling dizzy and suspected that an intoxicating substance had been mixed into her beverage without her knowledge.
She alleged that Johray then sexually harassed and assaulted her, and physically attacked her when she attempted to resist. She also claimed she was prevented from leaving the room — forming the basis of the wrongful confinement charge.
The complainant submitted a written complaint on April 20, 2026. Following a preliminary inquiry, police formally registered the FIR on April 21, 2026 at the Sector-17 Police Station, Chandigarh.
Legal Charges Filed: What the BNS Sections Mean
The FIR was registered under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) — the law that replaced the Indian Penal Code in 2023. The specific charges are significant:
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The inclusion of Section 123 is particularly notable — it addresses the specific allegation that an intoxicant was mixed into the complainant's drink without her knowledge, which is increasingly being recognized as a method used to incapacitate victims before assault.
Current Status: Arrested, Then Bailed
Chandigarh Police confirmed that Saini S. Johray was taken into custody following the registration of the FIR. He was subsequently granted bail by a district court and remains out of custody as legal proceedings continue.
As of the time of publication, neither Johray nor any representative on his behalf has issued a public statement responding to the allegations. The Chandigarh Police have confirmed that the investigation is actively underway.
The case entered wider public attention on May 26, 2026 — approximately five weeks after the FIR was formally filed.
Who Is Saini S. Johray?
Johray is a seasoned production designer whose credits extend beyond Dhurandhar. He is also associated with The Family Man, the acclaimed Prime Video espionage thriller series starring Manoj Bajpayee — one of Indian OTT's most celebrated productions.
His role as production designer on Dhurandhar placed him at the helm of a massive, high-budget set operation. The film, produced by Jio Studios and B62 Studios, was shot across multiple Indian states including Punjab, Maharashtra, Chandigarh, Ladakh and Himachal Pradesh, as well as in Thailand — making it one of the most logistically complex productions in recent Bollywood history.
The complainant's entry into the project came through an academic referral from her college faculty — a pathway that is common for young design and art students entering the industry, and one that typically implies a degree of institutional trust.
Why This Case Matters Beyond the Headlines
This case is more than a crime report — it is a window into a structural problem that the Indian film industry has been slow to address.
The mentor-as-predator pattern: The complaint specifically describes how Johray positioned himself as a professional mentor, using his Delhi College of Art alumni status as a trust-building tool. This dynamic — where a senior crew member leverages professional mentorship to access a junior employee — echoes patterns documented in multiple prior Bollywood harassment cases, including those that emerged during the Indian #MeToo wave of 2018.
On-set power hierarchy: Production sets operate with steep hierarchies. Assistant Art Directors occupy one of the most junior positions in the art department, entirely dependent on senior production designers for their professional future. This imbalance creates conditions where coercion — even if subtle — can be difficult to resist or report.
The delay between the alleged incident and the FIR: The alleged incident occurred on September 10, 2025. The complaint was filed approximately seven months later, on April 20, 2026. This delay is not unusual in workplace harassment cases, where victims often weigh the professional consequences of coming forward. It is, however, a detail that courts will carefully examine.
Bollywood's ongoing accountability gap: India does have the POSH Act (Prevention of Sexual Harassment at the Workplace, 2013), which mandates Internal Complaints Committees on film sets employing more than 10 people. However, enforcement on film productions — especially during shoot periods involving temporary workforces — remains inconsistent.
The Dhurandhar Film: Context
Dhurandhar, directed by Aditya Dhar and starring Ranveer Singh, Akshaye Khanna, Arjun Rampal, R. Madhavan, and Sanjay Dutt, was released on December 5, 2025. It earned critical praise for its production design, action sequences, and performances, and crossed ₹1,350 crore worldwide. A sequel, Dhurandhar: The Revenge, released in March 2026, added another ₹1,800+ crore to the franchise's total box office.
The case against Johray does not implicate the film's director, cast, or the production houses Jio Studios and B62 Studios, who have not been named in the complaint. The legal proceedings are directed solely at the individual accused.
‘Dhurandhar’ and ‘The Family Man’ Production Designer Saini S Johray Accused of Sexual Harassment and Assaulthttps://t.co/sT0y9tAyLG#SainiSJohray #Assault #ProductionDesigner #Harassment
— Saptashwa TV (@SaptashwaTV) May 27, 2026
What Happens Next
The Chandigarh Police investigation is continuing. Key procedural steps likely to follow include:
- Forensic examination of any physical or digital evidence
- Recording of witness statements from crew members present during production
- Medical and toxicological evidence review related to the intoxication allegation
- Bail conditions hearing, where the court may impose restrictions on Johray
- Potential framing of charges by the trial court if the police file a chargesheet
The complainant may also pursue remedies under the POSH Act, depending on whether a valid Internal Complaints Committee was constituted during the film's production.
A Note on Fairness
In reporting on cases of this nature, it is essential to state clearly: the allegations against Saini S. Johray are, at this stage, accusations under investigation — not convictions. The FIR has been registered and bail has been granted; the accused is entitled to due process. This article does not prejudge the outcome of the investigation or trial.
At the same time, the complainant's account deserves to be heard seriously and without dismissal. Both principles — presumption of innocence and the right of accusers to be taken seriously — must coexist in responsible reporting.
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