Ranjith steps down as Chairman of Kerala Film Academy after misbehavior accusations by Bengali actress

Kerala Film Academy chairman, director Ranjith, has resigned from his position amid allegations of misconduct by Bengali actress Sreelekha Mitra, who claimed he misbehaved with her during a film discussion in 2009-10. His resignation comes after the Left Democratic Front (LDF) demanded his removal.

Deepu Mohan

First Published Aug 25, 2024, 10:16 AM IST | Last Updated Aug 25, 2024, 10:20 AM IST

Thiruvananthapuram: Film director Ranjith has stepped down as the chairman of the Kerala Film Academy following allegations of misconduct by a Bengali actress. The actress, Sreelekha Mitra, had revealed that Ranjith had misbehaved with her during a film discussion. Ranjith's eventual resignation came after the Left Democratic Front (LDF) took a stand that Ranjith should resign from his position.

Also Read: Hema Committee report: Kerala govt gets legal advice to act on allegations of sexual exploitation

Ranjith, who is currently in Wayanad, had removed the official name board from his car yesterday, amidst the growing controversy.

Sreelekha Mitra had auditioned in Ranjith's film 'Paleri Manikyam' in 2009-10 and had revealed through Asianet News that Ranjith had misbehaved with her during a film discussion, leading to widespread outrage and calls for his resignation. She had complained about the incident to documentary director Joshi Joseph, but no further action was taken. Following this, she was neither contacted by the makers of 'Paleri Manikyam' nor did get calls to other movies in Malayalam. She stated that she stood up against his misbehavior, resulting in her being sidelined in the industry.

Siddique resigns amidst harassment allegations

In a separate incident, actor Siddique has resigned as the general secretary of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) after a young actress alleged that he had sexually harassed her. The government is considering taking action against Siddique.

Kerala govt gets legal advice to act on allegations

Meanwhile, the Kerala government has been legally advised by the Director General of Prosecution that further action can taken on the revelations made in the Hema Committee report. As per the DGP's legal advice, no formal complaint is required to initiate an investigation into the allegations and legal proceedings can be initiated if it comes under POCSO Act. The government had sought legal advice from the office of DGP following the release of the report.

Also Read: Siddique resigns as AMMA general secretary amid allegations of sexual misconduct by young actress