FIR filed against director Ranjith for allegedly assaulting male actor
A new First Information Report (FIR) has been lodged against renowned Malayalam director Ranjith, accusing him of sexually harassing a male actor in 2012. According to the news agency ANI, the director allegedly invited the victim to a hotel in Bengaluru for an audition. Here, Ranjith reportedly asked the actor to undress completely and took his photographs.
Actor recounts chilling encounter with Ranjith
The complainant met the director during the shooting of the film Bavuttiyude Namathil in Kozhikode in December 2012. After expressing interest in a role, Ranjith gave him his mobile number and asked him to text him later. The actor stated, "When I texted him after a few days, he asked me to come to a five-star hotel in Bengaluru where he was staying at the time."
'He wanted to see my body...'
Upon reaching the hotel, the actor alleges that Ranjith was alone and drinking alcohol. He claims that after being coerced into drinking, Ranjith's demeanor changed. The actor stated, "He forced me to strip naked saying that he wanted to see my body... Then, he went on to sexually assault me. The things he did to me were extremely terrible and I cannot describe them."
Actor files complaint, alleges director offered money
The actor claims that his nude photos were sent to actor Revathi by Ranjith, adding, "When Ranjith told me to stand naked, he was talking to an actress... Ranjith told me it was Revathi." The actor has lodged a complaint with the Director General of Police (DGP), alleging that Ranjith sexually assaulted him and offered him money the following day. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) is expected to review the case.
Another FIR was filed against him in a similar case
Earlier this week, another FIR was lodged against Ranjith, accusing him of sexually assaulting a Bengali actor Sreelekha Mitra during auditions for his 2009 film Paleri Manikyam: Oru Pathirakolapathakathinte Katha. She recounted, "As I stood there, he touched my bangles...Then he started caressing my neck, so I excused myself and left the room." She spent the night in fear in her hotel room after the incident.
Director Ranjith denies allegations, counter-accuses Mitra
In response to the allegations, Ranjith has denied any wrongdoing and counter-accused Mitra of spreading false information. He stated, "I interacted with her in the presence of screenwriter Shankar Ramakrishnan and two assistants... she was excited." He suggested that she made these allegations because she was not given a role in his movie. Additionally, he also recently stepped down from his position as the chairman of state-run Kerala Chalachitra Academy.
