Kochi: The flood of revelations about sexual assault and harassment in Malayalam film industry following the release of a redacted version of the Justice K Hema Committee report last week continued Monday, with more women professionals coming out with accounts of mistreatment from their male counterparts. Eight bigwigs, including actor and CPM legislator M Mukesh, faced allegations from junior actors and technicians.

Ernakulam police filed an FIR against director Ranjith on a complaint from a Bengali actor who raised charges of sexual misconduct against him dating back to 2009. Some of the others who faced allegations are directors Sreekumar Menon and Thulasidas, and actors Baburaj, Jayasurya, Shine Tom Chacko, Edavela Babu and Maniyanpillai Raju.

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Kochi: Kerala film industry has been rocked by fresh allegations of harassment against eight directors and actors. Actor Minu Muneer joined the chorus of claims, revealing that a 16-year-old girl and her mother were sexually assaulted for two weeks on the sets of One Way Ticket, a 2008 film directed by Bipin Prabhakar. It starred Prithviraj Sukumaran and Bhama in lead roles and superstar Mammootty in a cameo.

Much of the spotlight was on Mukesh. The accusations against the two-time CPM MLA put the Left govt under pressure. Yuva Morcha and Mahila Congress took out marches to his residence in Kollam, demanding a case against him and his resignation. Some others, like writer Sara Joseph and Chalachitra Academy vice-chairman Premkumar, objected to Mukesh’s reported inclusion in a committee of a cinema conclave planned by the govt.

Mukesh has not responded to the charges yet. An actor who appeared in a handful of movies levelled the allegations in a Facebook post against Mukesh, Jayasoorya, Maniyanpilla Raju and Idavela Babu and a few others.

“In 2013, I was subjected to physical and verbal abuse by these individuals while working on a project. I was forced to leave the Malayalam film industry and relocate to Chennai. I am now seeking justice and accountability,” the actor wrote.

Later, sharing details of her ordeal with the media, she said Mukesh and Jaya surya tried to sexually assault her on the sets of movies while AMMA former general secretary Babu misbehaved with her at his flat, where she went to complete formalities for association membership. Raju misbehaved with her while travelling in a car, she said.

A junior artist alleged that Baburaj and director Sreekumar Menon sexually assaulted her in a house in Aluva and a hotel in Ernakulam, respectively. S he also alleged that Shine Tom Chacko asked some people to arrange a meeting with her for a role in a movie featuring him. A well-known actor in the 1990s, meanwhile, alleged that director Thulasidas misbehaved with her over the phone and knocked on her door at a film’s set in 1991. The filmmaker has denied the charges.

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Actor Siddique has filed a counter complaint with the Kerala police chief over a junior actor’s claim that he had sexually assaulted her around eight years ago, saying the allegations were driven by an “agenda”. Siddique, who resigned as general secretary of Association of Malayalam Movie Artists on Sunday following recent allegation, in his email complaint from Ooty, said the woman had initially alleged use of offensive words but was now claiming sexual assault. He accused the woman of changing her allegations after the release of the Hema report, describing her move as nothing but a publicity stunt.

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Thiruvananthapuram: Museum police have documented the statement of the young actor who had lodged a complaint against actor Siddique alleging that he had raped her. Police sources said an FIR has been filed against the actor at the station under IPC Sections 376 (rape) and 506 (criminal intimidation).

As the alleged crime took place in 2016, the case was registered under IPC. The incident had allegedly occurred in a hotel room in the capital city, within Museum Police Station limits.

This is the second FIR to be filed against a prominent film industry figure following sexual harassment allegations made against various directors and actors in the wake of the findings of the Justice Hema Committee report. The first case, registered under IPC Sec 354 (assault or criminal force on woman with intent to outrage her modesty), was filed against director Ranjith based on a complaint by a female actor from West Bengal concerning an alleged incident in 2009.

The cases will be transferred to the seven-member SIT constituted to probe such cases. The case involving Ranjith has already been transferred to the SIT after registering it in Kochi as the incident had allegedly occurred there.

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The special investigation team probing the sexual misconduct allegation by a senior actor against actors and technicians in the Malayalam film industry began an extensive probe based on her complaint on Wednesday. DIG S Ajeetha Begum and AIG G Poonkuzhali collected a detailed statement from the actor at her flat.

It is learned that seven different cases against as many persons would be registered based on the complaint. Poonkuzhali said the SIT has received many complaints from various parts of the state and proper action would be taken after gathering evidence.

Senior actor Siddique and ace filmmaker Ranjith were accused of sexual misconduct

Thiruvananthapuram/Kochi: The Malayalam film industry, which was rocked by the Justice K Hema Committee’s explosive report on sexual abuse and exploitation of women professionals over the past week, witnessed two high-profile resignations on Sunday. Filmmaker Ranjith stepped down as chairman of the state-run Kerala Chalachitra Academy while actor Siddique resigned as general secretary of AMMA (Association of Malayalam Movie Artists).

Besides public outcry and political pressure, there was also a growing demand for their resignation from within the film fraternity. A Bengali actress had come up with allegations of misbehaviour against Ranjith on Friday and pressure was building up for his resignation over the past two days. The actor had alleged that the filmmaker misbehaved with her during an audition for 2009 movie ‘Paleri Manikyam: Oru Pathira Kolapathakathinte Katha’.

Various revelations of sexual assaults and demands made over the past two days have brought in a palpable change in the govt’s response. It had earlier maintained that those affected should come forward to file complaints so that the charges can be probed. However, on Sunday, it constituted an investigation team, which will be contacting those reportedly affected in the industry and going ahead with an investigation if they cooperated with it.

Culture minister Saji Cherian said the govt had not sought Ranjith’s resignation, but sources said the final decision on whether he should continue in the post or not came from chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan and the message was communicated to him.

CPI had openly demanded his resignation while CPM found it difficult to protect him. The opposition Congress and BJP had already demanded his resignation. BJP activists took out a protest march to his residence in Kozhikode on Sunday morning while Congress demanded that a case should be registered against him and a proper investigation carried out.

In an audio clip released to media, Ranjith however termed the allegations as an organized attack against the LDF govt and said he would fight legally to prove them wrong. “I am not ready to continue in the post of academy chairman as it would adversely impact the reputation of the LDF govt,” he said.

Siddique, meanwhile, resigned over the rape allegation levelled against him by a young actor.

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