Mollywood in Turmoil: Filmmaker Ranjith Faces First FIR Amid Growing Sexual Assault Allegations in Kerala’s Film Industry

In a significant development, the Kerala Police has filed the first FIR against filmmaker Ranjith following a wave of sexual harassment allegations shaking Mollywood. The FIR was lodged after Bengali actress Sreelekha Mitra accused Ranjith of inappropriate behavior during a meeting in 2009, where she was invited to discuss a role in the film Paleri Manikyam. The case has been registered under IPC Section 354, which pertains to assault or criminal force against a woman with intent to outrage her modesty.

Mitra’s complaint, submitted via email to the Kochi city police commissioner, alleges that Ranjith made advances toward her, leaving her uncomfortable and prompting her to withdraw from the project. Ranjith, however, has denied the accusations, claiming he is the real victim in the situation. In the wake of these allegations, Ranjith resigned from his position as chairman of the Kerala Chalachitra Academy to avoid tarnishing the reputation of the Left government.

This case is part of a broader crisis engulfing the Malayalam film industry, where multiple actresses have come forward with allegations of harassment and abuse. Actress Revathy Sampath accused veteran actor Siddique of mental and physical abuse, an incident that she claims has haunted her for years. Following her allegations, Siddique resigned as the general secretary of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) and filed a complaint against Revathy.

Additionally, actress Minu Muneer has accused several prominent actors, including M Mukesh, Jayasurya, and Maniyanpilla Raju, of physical and verbal abuse during a film project in 2013. Actor Baburaj has also been accused of sexual assault by a junior artist, though he has dismissed the claims as an attempt to undermine his candidacy for AMMA’s general secretary.

In response to these mounting allegations, opposition parties have criticized the Kerala government, accusing it of shielding the accused. Amid the growing pressure, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has formed a seven-member special investigation team to probe the sexual assault claims, signaling a serious approach to addressing the allegations rocking Mollywood.