Sexual Abuse Complaint Filed Against Kerala Filmmaker Ranjith

A man from Kozhikode has lodged a sexual abuse complaint against filmmaker Ranjith, who recently resigned from his position as the chair of the Kerala Chalachitra Academy following allegations of misconduct made by a female actor.

In his complaint submitted to the state police chief, the man alleges that Ranjith sexually abused him at a five-star hotel in Bengaluru in 2012.

The complainant recounted his experiences in an interview with a news channel, stating that Ranjith had given him his mobile number, which was written on a piece of tissue paper, after seeing him during the shooting of the Mammootty-starrer ‘Bavuttiyude Namathil’ in Kozhikode.

According to the man, when they met in Bengaluru, Ranjith reportedly asked him to disrobe, expressing a desire to see his physique. He also mentioned that Ranjith made comments about his appearance and did things he finds difficult to discuss publicly, stating he would provide details to law enforcement.

The complainant indicated that he aspired to have a role in the film industry but stated that Ranjith has avoided him since the alleged incident occurred.

This is the first time a male victim has come forward with sexual abuse allegations amidst the wave of Me Too accusations that have affected the Malayalam film industry following the release of the Hema Commission report. Ranjith is among several prominent figures in the industry facing allegations of misconduct and sexual harassment by their female colleagues.

Additionally, Bengali actor Sreelekha Mitra has filed a complaint against Ranjith, asserting he misbehaved with her under the guise of discussing a film project in Kochi in 2009.