Earlier, we reported that renowned Bengali actor Sreelekha Mitra had accused veteran director Ranjith of misconduct during discussions about his film Paleri Manikyam: Oru Pathirakolapathakathinte Katha (2009). Following these allegations, Ranjith, who also served as chairman of the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy, stepped down from his position on Sunday.
Ranjith's resignation reportedly came under pressure from allies within the Left Democratic Front (LDF), who were concerned that the controversy would tarnish the image of the Left government ruling Kerala.
Kerala's Cultural Minister Saji Cherian confirmed to the media that Ranjith had called him to express his intention to resign. However, the minister refrained from committing to any specific action against Ranjith, stating only that the perpetrators of such crimes would be held accountable, and stringent action would be taken.
A few days back, Sreelekha alleged that during the meeting for Paleri Manikyam..., Ranjith invited her to his bedroom, and while they were conversing, he touched her bangles under the guise of being unaware. Though uncomfortable, she continued the conversation until Ranjith began to caress her neck, an action she found unacceptable. Sreelekha excused herself and left the room, later sharing that she stayed in her accommodation that night in fear of further advances. She had informed documentary filmmaker Joshy Joseph of the incident at the time, who confirmed this to the media after the allegations were made public. Joseph mentioned that he had wanted to raise the issue earlier, but Sreelekha had not felt as brave then as she does now.
Ranjith categorically denied the allegations, asserting that Sreelekha was upset about not being cast in the film and accusing her of fabricating the claims. He stated that their interaction occurred in the presence of his assistant, Shanker Ramakrishnan, and two others. According to Ranjith, Sreelekha was enthusiastic after hearing the story but was not ultimately chosen for a role. He claimed that she became furious when informed of this decision and questioned why she was called in the first place. Ranjith expressed his willingness to face any legal action and voiced his suspicion that the allegations were part of a plan to trap him.
Following the resignation of AMMA general secretary and actor Siddique on Sunday morning, Ranjith's exit seemed inevitable. Before resigning, the filmmaker had removed the official board from his car while staying at a resort in Wayanad and later returned to his home in Chalappuram, Kozhikode, where he was provided with police security.
Meanwhile, in an interesting development, it was announced yesterday with the release of a new trailer that the Mammootty-starrer Paleri Manikyam: Oru Pathirakolapathakathinte Katha is set for a rerelease in 4K resolution. This follows the successful rereleases of Devadoothan (2000) and Manichithrathazhu (1993), both headlined by Mohanlal, earlier this year.
