Mollywood MeToo: Aspiring actor claims Ranjith assaulted him in hotel
In a shocking development, Malayalam film director Ranjith has been accused of sexual abuse by a man from Kerala. This comes just days after Bengali actor Sreelekha Mitra filed a complaint against the filmmaker for alleged inappropriate behavior. The man, who wishes to remain anonymous, claimed that the incident occurred in 2012 at a five-star hotel in Bengaluru.
Man met Ranjith during 'Bavuttiyude Namathil' shoot
The complainant told a local Malayalam channel that he first met Ranjith on the sets of Bavuttiyude Namathil (2012) in Kozhikode. He expressed his desire to act in films, following which Ranjith gave him his contact number and asked him to text, not call. The man said he was later invited to meet Ranjith at a Bengaluru hotel.
Ranjith allegedly forced man to strip, took nude photos
Upon reaching the hotel, the man was informed by the receptionist that visiting hours were over. However, Ranjith allegedly asked him to enter through the back door. Inside the room, he found Ranjith in a drunken state. The man claimed that Ranjith forced him to consume alcohol and then asked him to undress. He alleged that Ranjith took nude photographs of him.
Man claims Ranjith sexually abused him
The man further alleged that Ranjith sexually assaulted him. He said he had approached a well-known Malayalam female actor about the incident, but she disregarded his complaints. According to the man, he decided to come forward after the recent release of the Hema Committee report. He also claimed that he had sought roles in films, but Ranjith avoided him after the alleged incident.
Ranjith faces police case after Mitra's complaint
Earlier, Mitra accused Ranjith of inappropriate behavior. Following her allegations, the director resigned as the chairman of the Kerala Chalachitra Academy on Sunday. Mitra later filed a formal complaint against Ranjith, alleging that he had touched her inappropriately with sexual intent in 2009. Kochi Police Commissioner S Syamsundar confirmed that a case has been registered under IPC Section 354.
