Director Ranjith Balakrishnan Seeks Bail Over Actress Sreelekha Mitra’s Allegations
Malayalam Film Director Ranjith Balakrishnan has approached the Kerala High Court for anticipatory bail following a sexual harassment complaint by actress Sreelekha Mitra. The incident allegedly took place in 2009 during a movie audition for ‘Paleri Manikyam’.
The allegations came to light after the publication of the Justice Hema Committee Report on August 19, 2024, which revealed extensive information on sexual abuse and exploitation in the film industry.
Mitra filed her complaint with the Kochi city police a day after Ranjith resigned as chairman of the Kerala State Chalachithra Academy. In her email to the Kochi City Police Commissioner, Mitra detailed an incident from 2009 when she was in Kochi for discussions about a role in ‘Paleri Manikyam’.
“I was invited to act in a film ‘Paleri Manikyam’ directed by Ranjith. As part of the discussion, I was called to the flat in which Sri Ranjith was staying at Kaloor Kadavanthra, Kochi. During the course of the discussion, he clutched hold of my hand and later attempted to spread his hand to other parts of my body with sexual intention. Realizing his intentions, I had to escape from the flat and returned to the hotel where I was staying. My bitter experience was shared the next day with scriptwriter Sri Joshy Joseph. As I was not given a travel ticket for my return journey, I sought the help of Sri Joshy Joseph,” the actress wrote in her complaint.
Doubts Revealed
Ranjith Balakrishnan -: Ranjith Balakrishnan is a famous director who makes movies in the Malayalam language, which is spoken in the Indian state of Kerala.
Sreelekha Mitra -: Sreelekha Mitra is an actress who works in movies. She has acted in many films and is known for her roles in Bengali cinema.
Anticipatory bail -: Anticipatory bail is when someone asks the court to protect them from being arrested before they are actually taken into custody. It’s like asking for permission to not be put in jail right away.
Kerala High Court -: The Kerala High Court is a big court in the state of Kerala, India. It makes important decisions about laws and justice in that state.
Sexual harassment -: Sexual harassment means bothering or hurting someone in a way that is related to their body or gender. It is wrong and against the law.
Paleri Manikyam -: Paleri Manikyam is the name of a movie. It is a Malayalam film that was directed by Ranjith Balakrishnan.
Justice Hema Committee Report -: The Justice Hema Committee Report is a document made by a group of people led by Justice Hema. It talks about problems and bad things happening in the film industry, like abuse.
Kochi city police -: Kochi city police are the police officers who work in Kochi, a big city in Kerala, India. They help keep the city safe and handle complaints.
Kerala State Chalachithra Academy -: The Kerala State Chalachithra Academy is an organization that helps promote and support movies made in Kerala. Ranjith Balakrishnan used to be the chairman, which means he was the leader of this group.
