The allegation against the Malayalam director and Director of the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy, Ranjith, was that he inappropriately touched Sreelekha Mitra’s body without her consent. The actress complained about this on Saturday. Soon after that Ranjith resigned from his post. 

After the complaint was on the air, Ranjith met Kerala’s Minister of Culture, Saji Cherian. The director wished to resign in that meeting.

Sreelekha said that while auditioning for the film Paleri Manikyam: Oru Pathirakolapathakathinte Katha in 2009, Ranjith sexually harassed her. She said, ‘I was talking over the phone with a cinematographer friend. Ranjith suddenly called me to his bedroom on the pretext of telling the film’s story. I thought that he was calling me to avoid the crowd. The room was dark. I was standing on the balcony and talking over the phone. He suddenly started playing with my bangles. We women understand the touches. I felt awkward because I was not a friend to him. But I could not be sure. Then he started playing with my hair and touching my neck. Then and there I left the room.’ 

Ranjith, however, dismissed the allegation and said that Sreelekha claimed such because she did not get a chance in the film. However, he resigned within twenty-four hours after the allegation was made. The assistant secretary of the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy, Siddique, also resigned on the same day. Actress Revathy Sampath made an accusation of sexual misconduct against him. 

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