Malayalam filmmaker Ranjith stepped down from his post as the chairman of the state-run Kerala Chalachitra Academy. Scroll down to read more.
Malayalam filmmaker Ranjith resigned on Sunday as the chairman of the state-run Kerala Chalachitra Academy. His resignation followed closely after senior Malayalam actor Siddique stepped down from his post as the general secretary of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA). The news of Ranjith’s resignation comes days after a Bengali actress alleged that the filmmaker had misbehaved with her during an incident that took place years ago.
In an audio clip released to the media, Ranjith stated that he had submitted his resignation letter to Culture Minister Saji Cheriyan and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan following the allegations against him. He expressed hope that the government would accept his resignation.
However, Ranjith maintained his innocence, denying any involvement in the allegations made by the actress. He asserted that the accusations were part of a campaign of lies being spread against him.
“I have suffered a lot of personal damage due to such allegations. A portion of what she said is a lie. I have to prove my innocence. That’s why I will move forward by taking legal action. The world must know the truth,” Ranjith said in the audio clip.
He added, “There is an organized attack against the CPM-led government by a section of right-wing individuals and the media. One of those allegations concerns me. I will never do anything to tarnish the image of this government. It is not right for me to continue as the head of a government institution when I am in the middle of legal measures against the person who levelled these allegations. That’s why I have sent my resignation letter to the government.”
A prominent Bengali actress disclosed that she encountered “inappropriate behaviour” from the well-known Malayalam director and scriptwriter during her visit to Kerala in 2009 for the shooting of the film ‘Palerimanikyam.’
