Male Actor Alleges Sexual Assault by Director Ranjith

Adding to the skeletons of sex scandals spilling out of the Malayalam film industry, an aspiring male actor has filed a sexual assault complaint against well-known director Ranjith, reported The Statesman.

In his complaint, the actor has alleged that in 2012, Ranjith invited him to a hotel in Bangalore for an audition, coerced him into stripping and then assaulted him.

Initially the actor mistook the encounter as part of the audition process but grew alarmed when Ranjith offered him money the following morning, he alleged.

Kerala Police have formally registered the case, and the Special Investigation Team (SIT) will investigate it.

Ranjith recently resigned as chairman of the Kerala State Chalachithra Academy following similar allegations from Bengali actress Sreelekha Mitra.

The male actor has come up with the allegation shortly after the release of the Justice Hema Committee report that reveals extensive harassment and exploitation within the Malayalam film industry.