Film Director Ranjith Accused of Inappropriate Behavior

Bengali actress Sreelekha Mitra has accused Malayali director Ranjith of inappropriate behavior in the Malayalam film industry.

Recent Allegation: Sreelekha Mitra accused Ranjith for inappropriate behavior during the pre-shooting of the 2009 movie Paleri Manikyam. Report of Hema Commission: Mitra’s allegations come on the heels of the Hema Commission report, which has revealed many instances of abuses and other misconduct in the industry.

Mitra’s Description of Incident: Ranjith deliberately touched Mitra’s bangle, tress of her hair and the back of her neck with his nails when making gestures unrelated to the context. As pointed by Mitra, these are not attacks on sexual liberties but too uncomfortable. Mitra’s Reaction to Incident: Mitra left Kerala and tells it was not a casual thing and she was disturbed by it. Ranjith’s Reaction: Ranjith denied the incident and said he had touched Mitra as part of the audition. Official Reaction: Ranjith has resigned from his position as the chairman of the Kerala State Chalachitra. This seems to mark an instant action in the face of public and politicians’ outrage.

Subsequent Political’s Outrage: Mitra’s action exposes some of the issues in the Malayalam industry, where such inappropriate behaviors have often been overlooked. As argued by Mitra, there are things young actresses have to accommodate or learn how to ignore to have a good career. Hema Commission’s Report: Mitra’s action and the subsequent resignation of Ranjith represent one way the revelations made by the Hema Commission’s report affect some of the issues which were not dealt with by the previous reports.

The response to Mitra’s accusations and the Hema Commission report has been mixed. While Ranjith has a few defenders, mainly in the art world who called for calm and reflection, his resignation was inevitable due to pressure from the public and politics. Hence, the Kerala’ government and film bodies face a need to reform their politics on how they protect their actors and maintain professional conduct.

In terms of implications for the industry, the response to the accusations and the report signal a change for the better due to the necessity to carry out various reforms to avoid harassment in the future. They may include stricter regulations and more transparent, respectful work conditions. The reaction to the events highlights the importance of considering any accusation and speaking out in support of the upset party, despite their position or wealth. The incident in Kerala should speak to the entire film industry and encourage it to reconsider its global cultural characteristic and avoid abuses of power. Thus, the industry will likely become more conscientious and will seek a new form of relationships in the next couple of years. A safer, abuse-free environment is the most likely consequence of the industry’s focus on the ongoing changes. It is yet to see how effective they will be.