Malayalam Director Ranjith Booked in Bengaluru For Sexual Assaulting Man in 2012

Malayalam film director Ranjith Balakrishnan has been booked on allegations of sexual assault following a complaint by a 31-year-old man. The man, in his complaint, accused Balakrishnan of assaulting him at a five-star hotel in Bengaluru in December 2012, as reported by the news agency PTI.

According to the FIR, the complainant alleged he first met Balakrishnan in 2012 in Kozhikode, Kerala, while seeking an introduction to actor Mammootty during the filming of Bavuttiyude Namathil, a film written and produced by Balakrishnan. The man claimed that after this meeting, Balakrishnan obtained his contact information and later invited him to a hotel near Kempegowda International Airport. During this encounter, the complainant alleged he was served alcohol and then assaulted.

The complaint was initially filed in Kerala, but since the alleged incident took place in Bengaluru, the case was transferred to the Bangalore International Airport Limited police station. A senior police official confirmed that an FIR was registered on October 26, citing Section 377 (unnatural offenses) of the Indian Penal Code and Section 66 E (violation of privacy) under the Information Technology Act.

The complainant reportedly came forward after a recent wave of allegations related to sexual misconduct within the Malayalam film industry, which he said motivated him to share his experience.

This isn't the first accusation of misconduct against the acclaimed director. Earlier, Bengali actress Sreelekha Mitra publicly accused Balakrishnan of inappropriate behavior during a script discussion. Although Balakrishnan denied these claims, he eventually stepped down from his role as the chairman of the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy amidst the rising allegations.