Ranjith has said that he did not misbehave with the actor and she was denied the role only because she did not fit the role.
Published Aug 23, 2024 | 10:16 PM ⚊ Updated Aug 24, 2024 | 10:40 AM
Bengali actor Sreelekha Mitra and Malayalam director Ranjith
Even as the Justice Hema Commission report is triggering a storm in both the Malayalam film industry and the political landscape of Kerala, Sreelekha Mitra, an actor from West Bengal, has levelled allegations of inappropriate behaviour by popular Malayalam director and Kerala Chalachitra Academy chairperson Ranjith.
The actor said that she had to face it during the audition for several state awards winning Paleri Manikyam: Oru Pathirakolapathakathinte Katha (2009). The actor alleged that though she complained, no action has been taken so far.
Meanwhile, Ranjith has said that he did not misbehave with the actor and the only reason that she was denied the role was because she did not fit the role.
The film that she auditioned for – Paleri Manikyam – was released in 2009. The Bengali actor alleged that she was treated poorly by the director and that she spent an entire night at a hotel because of fear of what he might do. She further added that despite filing a complaint regarding the incident, no action has been taken so far.
Sreelekha further stated since she was against the inappropriate behaviour, she was not considered for the role in that film or any other films after that in Mollywood. Additionally, she mentioned that she was not given any money to return home and had to travel back with her own money.
Sreelekha further urged others who faced similar misconduct to come forward with their complaints and reveal the names of the perpetrators. She also suggested that committees like the Hema Committee, which investigated issues like inappropriate conduct or similar issues in the Malayalam film industry, should be established in other languages to address similar concerns.
The Kerala government on Monday, 19 August, released the Justice K Hema Committee report revealing the harassment faced by female actors in the film industry. The report was released after the Kerala High Court rejected the pleas by actor Ranjini against the release of the report. She had said that she was among the people who had given their statements to the committee but did not receive a copy of the same.
The report delves deep into wage discrimination to sexual exploitation, exposing the hidden harassment in the Malayalam film industry. It also revealed the casting couch culture and the silent suffering of women in cinema. Leaving out some parts that reveal the personal information of actors, the government has released a 233-page document.
The report said that female actors are usually expected to grant sexual favours to the insiders. The controller or whoever gives an offer for a role in the cinema first approaches the woman (girl in some cases) or if it is the other way around, a woman approaches any person in cinema seeking a chance, she is told that she has to make “adjustments” and “compromise” to make her way into the cinema, the report said.
“Compromise” and “adjustment” are two terms that are very familiar among women in the Malayalam film industry and, they are asked to make themselves available for sex on demand. The report also sheds light on the troubling challenges faced by women in the Malayalam film industry.
(Edited by Neena with inputs from Dileep V Kumar)
(South First is now on WhatsApp and Telegram)
