Bengali actor Sreelekha Mitra has accused renowned Malayalam filmmaker Ranjith of sexual harassment during auditions for his 2009 film Paleri Manikyam: Oru Pathirakolapathakathinte Katha.
The film starred Mammootty, Shwetha Menon, and Mythili in lead roles. Sreelekha's allegations have surfaced following the release of the Hema Committee report, which highlights the prevalence of sexual harassment against women in the Malayalam film industry.
Ranjith, who is currently serving as the chairman of the Kerala Chalachitra Academy - a government body promoting Malayalam cinema and organizing film festivals - has been accused of inappropriate behavior during the film’s audition process.
In an interview with Asianet News, Sreelekha recounted the incident, stating, "I was on the phone with a cinematographer while standing on Ranjith’s bedroom balcony. He touched my bangles, which made me uncomfortable, but I initially gave him the benefit of the doubt. However, when he started caressing my neck, I quickly excused myself and left the room."
She described the experience as traumatic and shared how she spent the night in her hotel room, frightened and anxious about what might happen next.
Sreelekha also mentioned that she was not provided any travel arrangements to return home and had to book her own flight. She noted that after this incident, she received no further opportunities in Malayalam cinema.
Her allegations were corroborated by documentary filmmaker Joshy Joseph, who said that Sreelekha called him immediately after the incident, sounding traumatized. "She narrated the entire incident to me, and I took her to my home to calm her down. I even shared the incident with a few others, including writer KR Meera, but Sreelekha was hesitant to take further action at that time," Joshy told The Hindu.
Ranjith, however, has denied the accusations, calling them baseless.
He claimed that his interaction with Sreelekha took place in the presence of screenwriter Shankar Ramakrishnan and two assistants. "After Ramakrishnan narrated the story to Sreelekha, she was enthusiastic about the role. However, I had some doubts about which character she should play, and she became upset when she wasn’t cast in the film," Ranjith said.
In response to the allegations, Kerala’s Cultural Affairs Minister Saji Cherian defended Ranjith, stating that an investigation can only be initiated if a formal complaint is filed. "Ranjith has publicly denied the allegations. Without a formal complaint and subsequent investigation, we cannot assume the accusations are true," the Minister said.
He also emphasized that Ranjith is one of India's most talented artists and that the Kerala government stands with women, but reiterated that legal action requires a written complaint.
Meanwhile, KPCC president K Sudhakaran has demanded that Ranjith be removed from his position as chairman of the Chalachitra Academy and that an investigation be launched against him. However, Minister Cherian indicated that the ruling CPI(M) will make the final decision regarding Ranjith's position at the Academy.