Who Is Ranjith, Why Spirit Director Got Arrested? Who Filed Case Against Him?

Ranjith case details: Malayalam film director Ranjith was taken into police custody on Tuesday (March 31) evening in an attempted sexual assault case, according to a report by PTI.

Who Filed Case Against Malayalam Director Ranjith?

Police stated that the case relates to an incident on a film set. The woman involved is an actor. Officers said the custody followed a formal complaint.

According to police, the complainant alleged that Ranjith tried to sexually assault the woman during a shoot. Investigators said Ranjith was picked up from Kerala's Idukki district. Police added that further legal steps would follow established procedures.

Why Ranjith Is In Police Custody?

Malayalam film director Ranjith is in police custody after a woman actor accused Ranjith of attempted sexual assault. Police said the alleged incident occurred on a film set, after Ranjith reportedly called the actor to a caravan. The complaint, filed earlier this week, led to swift action by Kochi City Police.

According to officers, the woman told investigators that Ranjith tried to sexually assault the actor inside the caravan during shooting. The complaint stated that the incident took place while work on a film was underway. Police registered a case and then moved to detain Ranjith for detailed questioning.

Malayalam film director Ranjith attempted sexual assault case history

Ranjith was taken into custody from Idukki district on Tuesday evening, police officials confirmed. The director is presently held in Thodupuzha, where local police are handling initial procedures. Authorities said Ranjith is expected to be transferred soon to Kochi Police, which is probing the latest complaint.

Year	Allegation involving Malayalam film director Ranjith	Police / Court action
2009	Alleged inappropriate touching of a Bengali actress during casting for "Paleri Manikyam".	Later treated as a bailable offence under consideration by police.
2024	Bengali actress emailed Kochi City Police Commissioner, reviving the 2009 allegation.	Case registered; Kerala High Court closed Ranjith's anticipatory bail plea.
2024	Woman actor alleges attempted sexual assault in a caravan on a film set.	Case registered by Kochi City Police; Ranjith taken into custody.

The woman actor’s detailed statement was recorded at the Women's Police Station on Monday, officers said. After this deposition, the police initiated formal arrest procedures. Officials added that registration of the case, and the following steps were handled with strong confidentiality to protect the complainant’s privacy.

Ranjith Controversies At A Glance: When Sreelekha Mitra Accused Him

This is not the first accusation faced by Ranjith within the Malayalam film industry. Ranjith's name had appeared earlier in the Justice K Hema Committee report, which examined harassment and abuse faced by women in Malayalam cinema. That report mentioned allegations of sexual harassment involving the director.

In 2024, Kochi City Police also registered a case after a Bengali actress Sreelekha Mitra approached the Kochi City Police Commissioner by email. The complaint alleged that Ranjith touched the actor inappropriately, with sexual intent, after inviting the actor to act in the film "Paleri Manikyam" in 2009. The Kerala High Court later closed Ranjith's anticipatory bail plea after police informed the court they were considering treating the alleged 2009 offence as bailable.

Police investigations now cover both the fresh caravan complaint and the earlier allegations linked to Malayalam cinema. Officers in Kochi and Thodupuzha are coordinating custody and paperwork as the case progresses. Further legal steps will depend on evidence gathered from the actor's statements, earlier case records and any material from the film set.

Sreelekha Mitra stated that the incident happened at a flat in Ernakulam during an audition for Ranjith’s 2009 film Paleri Manikyam: Oru Pathirakolapathakathinte Katha. Mitra alleged that Ranjith touched Mitra’s body with sexual intent while the audition process was underway at the private location.

Who Is Ranjith?

Ranjith started his career as a director with the film Ravanaprabhu. The masala movie marked a major shift in Ranjith’s career, moving from successful scriptwriting to full-time filmmaking in Malayalam cinema.

Over the years, Ranjith has been the recipient of three National Film Awards. One of these honours came for Spirit, which received the National Award for Best Film on Social Issues. This recognition highlighted Ranjith’s interest in stories dealing with social concerns.

Ranjith’s films Thirakkatha and Indian Rupee earned the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Malayalam in 2008 and 2011 respectively. The film, who received six Kerala State Film Awards, earlier served as chairman of the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy.

With Inputs from PTI