2024-08-27 14:30:10
Indian Bengali actress Srilekha Mitra has accused Malayalam film director Ranjith of touching her body without permission. He made this serious complaint while talking to the Indian media on August 24.
In 2009, director Ranjith produced the movie ‘Paleri Manikyam: Oru Pathirkolpathakathinte Katha’. During the pre-production of this movie, Srilekha suffered an unpleasant incident. He was supposed to star opposite Mammoth in the movie. Later Shweta Menon replaced Srilekha.
Srilekha went to Kochi on Ranjith’s call. Narrating the incident, the actress said, ‘I was talking to a cameraman on the phone. Suddenly Ranjith called me to his bedroom to tell me the story of the movie. I thought, maybe he is calling to avoid the crowd.’
Women understand the meaning of men’s touch. Referring to this information Srilekha said, ‘The room was quite dark. I was standing on the balcony of the house talking on the phone. Suddenly the director started playing with my bangles. We women understand the meaning of a man’s touch. I was feeling uncomfortable. Because I didn’t have much friendship with Ranjith. But I couldn’t be sure. Then Ranjit touched my neck and hair; Immediately I came out of that room.’
Srilekha Mitra gave an interview to India Today on Sunday (August 25). In this conversation, he said, ‘You cannot say that Ranjith has behaved badly. Some men and women would say it was a hurtful gesture. Ranjit touched my bangles, hair, neck. He did not sexually assault me, molest me, touch my private parts. But as a woman I know what it was like. It was a litmus test for him. Ranjith was watching whether I was responding to his work.’
‘I gave him no such right. I didn’t say anything about it when I got home. I kept it a secret. This was improper use. It was not sexual harassment.’ Srilekha said.
Ranjith was the head of the Kerala Film Academy. Director Ranjith resigned from this position after Srilekha Mitra raised the complaint. However, the 51-year-old producer denied all the allegations made by Srilekha.