The actress also said that she spent an entire night at a hotel in fear.

Bengali actress Sreelekha Mitra has come out with a serious accusation against Ranjith, the chairman and director of Chalachitra Academy. The actress disclosed that the director misbehaved with her when she came to act in ‘Paleri Manikyam’ by Ranjith in 2009-10. The actress also said that she spent an entire night at a hotel in fear.

A complaint was lodged citing the incident to the documentary director Joshey. But no one contacted her later, or asked about it and she came to know that no action was taken against the popular director Ranjith. Later, she lost her chance in Paleri Manikyam and other Malayalam films as well. He denied the opportunity only because she reacted to his bad behaviour and reported it to someone, she said.

“He didn’t even give me the money to go back home,” the actress said while adding that she returned home the next day alone. “The women who have confronted atrocities should come forward with complaints, and reveal the names of the culprits, committees like the ‘Hema Committee’ should be formed in other languages as well,” she added.

However, director Ranjith denied the allegations and said Ms Mitra had come to the audition for Manikyam. He added that the actress was not considered because she was not suitable for the role, and told Asianet News that he did not misbehave with the actress.

On August 19, after a prolonged waiting of five years, the Kerala government released the Justice Hema Committee report. The Committee was constituted in 2019 to look into the issues faced by women in the Malayalam film industry. The 233-page report exposes the sexual harassment and exploitation, power groups, and mafia control existing in the industry. Some actors have responded to the report and announced their solidarity with their female co-actors. Some are yet to respond and the Committee hasn’t revealed any names to date.

The committee was formulated after the WCC members met Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in the wake of the 2017 actress assault incident. It was helmed by retired Justice K Hema, veteran actor Sarada and former IAS officer KB Valsala Kumari were the other two members of the commission. The committee submitted its report to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on December 31, 2019.