Bengali actor Sreelekha Mitra has accused Ranjith, a Malayalam film director and chairman of the Kerala Chalachitra Academy, of touching her inappropriately during a meeting over a film.

Sreelekha told a Malayalam channel that the incident happened at Ranjith’s apartment in Kochi during the discussion over a movie with Mammootty as the male lead. While she didn’t remember the movie’s name, she identified the director as Ranjith who allegedly touched her bangles before feeling her hair and the nape of her neck.

Ranjith denied the allegation and said Sreelekha was peeved at being rejected for the role and had spoken angrily with his associate director Shankar Ramakrishnan who communicated the message to her.

The movie she auditioned for was Paleri Manikyam, a 2009 hit featuring Mammootty in a negative role.

“That was the first time I met him (Ranjith). In the morning we had a photo shoot and there was some discussion regarding costumes, the number of days and money and whatever,” she said, adding she was called to meet the director and others in the evening at Ranjith’s apartment.

“I went into his bedroom (that) was dark and we went to the balcony and he was playing with my bangles. So initially I thought maybe he wants to see my bangles,” she said.

“Maybe this is a very innocent gesture. I was giving him the benefit of the doubt. When he felt I was not protesting, he started playing with my hair and touching the nape of my neck. So I immediately got out of that room (and) spoke to the assistant director. I told him I am not doing this film.”

“Probably his name was Ranjith,” Sreelekha said.

Documentary filmmaker Joshi Joseph who had introduced Sreelekha to Ranjith and his team, corroborated her allegations. “She had called him (Shankar) soon after the incident and told him she was walking out of the movie,” Joseph told reporters on Friday.

Ranjith denied the allegations. “I don’t know who is behind this. Let us see how far she will go. At least I will get an opportunity to be heard,” he said.