Director Ranjith Held in Sexual Assault Case
Popular Malayalam filmmaker Ranjith Balakrishnan has been arrested in connection with a sexual assault case filed by a female actor, sending shockwaves across the film industry. The arrest was carried out by Ernakulam Central Police with assistance from local authorities in Thodupuzha, Idukki district.
Acting with discretion, the police intercepted Ranjith while he was en route to an event and took him into custody without creating any public commotion. He was initially brought to the Thodupuzha police station for preliminary formalities before being shifted to Kochi for further investigation.
The case stems from an alleged incident that reportedly took place during a film shoot. The complainant, a young actress, accused the filmmaker of inappropriate behavior on set. Prior to approaching the police, she had lodged a complaint with the film’s Internal Complaints Committee (ICC), which subsequently escalated the matter to the Kerala Police.
Notably, this is not the first time Ranjith has faced such allegations. In 2024, he stepped down as chairman of the Kerala Chalachitra Academy following harassment claims made by Bengali actor Sreelekha Mitra, which he had denied at the time.
With the investigation currently underway, authorities are expected to uncover more details as the probe progresses.