Who Is Pratik Shah? Cinematographer Of Ishaan-Janhvi's Film Accused Of S*xual Misconduct; Dharma REACTS

Pratik Shah S*xual Harassment Controversy: Starring Ishaan Khatter, Vishal Jethwa and Janhvi Kapoor, the upcoming Dharma film 'Homebound' is all over the news but for the wrong reasons unfortunately. In a shocking turn of events, the cinematographer of Homebound, Pratik Shah, is under the spotlight over serious allegations of s*xual harassment against him. Directed by Neeraj Ghaywan and produced by Karan Johar-led Dharma Productions, Homebound recently had its premiere at the prestigious 78th Cannes Film Festival where it received a 9-minute standing ovation from the audience.

Pratik Shah Controversy: Homebound Cinematopgher Accused Of S*xual Misconduct

It all started when an independent filmmaker named Anubhav Singh took to his Instagram story and shared his experience with Homebound cinematographer Pratik Shah. In his lengthy explosive Ig story, Singh called Pratik "manipulative" and "emotionally abusive", based on the testimony by multiple women.

Anubhav further claimed that nearly 20 women reached out to him over accusations of 'inappropriate behaviour' and s*xual harassment against Pratik. Singh also shared their messages, hiding their identity, in which the victims allegedly claimed to have received 'flirtatious' and 'creepy' messages from Pratik Shah.

In a follow-up story, Abhinav called out men over the collective silence on this serious matter. "Not a single man messaged to ask what happened, to listen, or to offer support. That silence is loud," he wrote, adding, "Use your privilege to listen - really listen. Use your platform to ask difficult questions. Call out behaviour even when it's inconvenient. Do it not just for your mothers, daughters, and sisters - do it for your friends, colleagues, and peers. Being a man is not about 'being able to get it up.' Being a man - being human - is about showing up."

In another story, Singh penned, "That's not surprising. It's exhausting. To the men reading this - especially those who consider themselves "woke," progressive, or allies - this silence is your responsibility too. It's not enough to repost feminist quotes or perform outrage in public spaces. Allyship is not a personality trait. It's a daily, uncomfortable practice.

When women speak out they pay a price. They risk their jobs. Their peace. their safety. Their standing in families and communities. But when men speak out? Rarely are they punished. In fact, more often than not, they are praised for doing the bare minimum. That is the depth of privilege you hold. (sic)"

Soon after this, filmmaker and writer Srishti Riya, too, took to her Instagram story and shared an old Reddit thread, solidifying the accusations against Shah. She also alleged that Pratik has been on the "prowl for the past four years."

Who is Pratik Shah?

Pratik Shah is an LA-based cinematographer, according to his LinkedIn profile, who recently worked as the cinematographer of Homebound. He also worked in other Hindi projects including Vikramaditya Motwane' 'Jubilee' and 'CTRL'.

While details about his age or gf, marital status are not available on the internet, Shah has a Bachelors of Fine Arts in Fine Art Photography from the Corcoran College of Art and Design in Washington D.C.

Following the several backlash over s*xual harassment allegations, Pratik Shah deleted his Instagram account.

Pratik Shah S*xual Harassment Controversy: Dharma Productions Breaks Silence

A day after the serious allegations of 'inappropriate' behavior against Pratik Shah, Dharma Productions finally broke the silence on the same. Issuing an official statement on the same, as per Bollywood Hungama, they wrote, "At Dharma Productions, we have a zero tolerance policy against inappropriate behavior and sexual harassment towards any individual working with us in any capacity, and we treat sexual harassment cases very seriously. Mr Pratik Shah was a freelancer on the project Homebound and was working on it for a limited period. His engagement with us has been completed. During this limited period, our internal committee for POSH didn't receive any complaints against him from any cast or crew on our film Homebound."