Ranjith steps down from his post at Kerala State Chalachitra Academy after Sreelekha Mitra alleges sexual misconduct

Renowned Malayalam director and chairperson of the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy, Ranjith, resigned following actress Sreelekha Mitra's complaint of inappropriate touching without consent. Sreelekha alleged Ranjith's misconduct during a film audition in 2009. Despite Ranjith denying the accusation, he stepped down.

The allegation against Ranjith was that he inappropriately touched Sreelekha's body without her consent. The actress complained about this on Saturday. Ranjith later resigned from his post.

Sreelekha said that when auditioning for the film Paleri Manikyam: Oru Pathirakolapathakathinte Katha in 2009, Ranjith behaved inappropriately. She said, "I was talking over the phone with a cinematographer friend. Ranjith suddenly called me to his bedroom on the pretext of telling the film’s story. I thought that he was calling me to avoid the crowd. The room was dark. I was standing on the balcony and talking over the phone. He suddenly started playing with my bangles. We women understand the touches. I felt awkward because I was not a friend to him. But I could not be sure. Then he started playing with my hair and touching my neck. Then and there I left the room." 

Ranjith, however, dismissed the allegation and said that Sreelekha claimed such because she did not get a chance in the film.  

Ranjith later met Kerala’s Minister of Cultural Affairs, Saji Cherian, and resigned from the post.

Siddique, the general secretary of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes (AMMA), also resigned on the same day. Actress Revathy Sampath made an accusation of sexual misconduct against him.