Malayalam film director Chidambaram, who made the hit 2024 film Manjummel Boys, has been accused of sexually harassing a woman. A case has been registered against the filmmaker at the Kochi City Police. Reportedly, the complaint has been filed by an actress.
Chidambaram booked in sexual assault case
As per the complaint registered by the police, the incident took place in 2022 at an apartment in Kochi. The director allegedly trespassed into the complainant`s premises and harassed her.
Chidambaram has been booked under Section 354 (assault or criminal force used on a woman with the intent to outrage her modesty) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), as the alleged incident occurred in 2022, before the new Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) came into force, police said.
The matter is currently under investigation, and further action will be taken after examining all relevant details and recording statements. A notice will be issued to the filmmaker asking him to appear for questioning, police officers added.
The filmmaker has not yet made any public comment on the allegations levelled against him.
Not the first allegation against Chidambaram
Back in 2024, social media influencer Prapti Elizabeth had accused the filmmaker of inappropriate behaviour. She alleged that the incident occurred when she was shooting for his film Jan.E.Man, which marked Chidambaram`s directorial debut. She made the allegations in the comments section of an Instagram post related to the film.
In her series of comments and replies, she wrote, “The things I can say about the director and male friendships… oof.”
She further wrote in her reply to another comment, “ He has Whatsapp messages and a whole night of living it.”
When a user replied to her initial comment by saying, “Gratitude has left the chat” Prapti replied, “lol for what? Doing the job I was paid for or for the sexual assault?”
Who is Chidambaram?
The filmmaker is best known for his 2024 film Manjummel Boys, which was a massive box office hit. It was based on a real-life incident that occurred in 2006, when a man got stuck in a deep pit in the Guna Caves. The film narrates an unusual tale of friendship and bravery. Chidambaram won the Kerala State Film Award for Best Director in 2024 for his work on the film. His debut venture was Jan.E.Man, which was released in 2021.
