Directors' Association of Eastern India suspends actor-director Arindam Sil for sexual misconduct allegations

Recently, an actress filed a sexual misconduct complaint against actor-director Arindam Sil, and it has found him in troubled waters. The Directors' Association of Eastern India has suspended Sil, reportedly Bengali cinema's first major film personality to face action against him after sexual harassment allegations sent shockwaves across the South.

According to a letter from DAEI's secretary Sudeshna Roy and president Subrata Sen, the suspension applies to Sil with immediate effect.

The letter said, "Due to certain allegations made against you, and prima facie evidence we have with us, which are of deep concern and is maligning to the entire organisation, DAEI has decided to suspend you from membership for indefinite period or till the allegations against you are cleared."

Meanwhile, Sil told journalists that an "unintentional" act has been portrayed as misbehaviour. The filmmaker stated that the incident concerned involved an explanation of a scene he had with that actress while shooting a film.

He claimed that nobody "objected to" his "actions or conduct" at the time and that everybody who worked on it then would testify the same.

DAEI acted once the actor registered her complaint at the West Bengal Commission for Women. Meanwhile, Sil apologised for it and has stated that the association has suspensed him before he was able to press his case.