Kozhikode-based Sajeer is the first young Malayalam male artiste in the history of Malayalam cinema to level sodomy charges against renowned director Ranjith, who is facing sexual assault charges.
A 29-year-old senior executive of a private hotel in Kerala has opened up about an incident that took place in Bengaluru 12 years ago, in which he accused a Malayalam supervisor of sexually assaulting him in an “unnatural manner”. Saghir previously had a small role in the 2006 film “The Notebook.”
He had hoped to continue working as an actor in the Malayalam film industry and participated in the shooting of a film called Bavuttiyude Namathil in Kozhikode, where he claimed to have first met Ranjith. In a private bungalow.
Sajir has lodged a complaint with the Kerala Police and will record his statement before the Special Investigation Team, which will probe various sexual assaults that have emerged in the Kerala film industry in recent days, after the Hema Commission report is released. accusation.
In an interview with News18, Sajir recalled how a staff member asked him if he would be interested in meeting the famous actor Mammootty in the lead role after spotting him in the crowd gathered to watch the shooting of Bavutyud Namathil.
“I jumped at the opportunity. That's when I was taken into the bungalow where the key crew lived and met Ranjith. He asked me about my wish and I made it clear that I wanted to do a film. I asked him if I could be offered a role. Later he took a napkin from the stand and wrote a number on it and gave it to me and said I should not share the number but text him,” Sajir told News18 .
Saghir claimed that the director later responded to his text messages and at one point invited him to meet him in Bengaluru. Sargeer said it occurred to him that it might be a role in a film, so he flew to Bengaluru and went to a private hotel where Ranjith had asked to meet him.
“I arrived very late – it was around 10pm – so the staff said they couldn't let me in. When I told Ranjith about this, he took me to another entrance to the room and I Met him in his room.
Describing the meeting, the hotel executive said he reiterated to the famed director that he was looking for a role and wanted to work with an accomplished filmmaker like himself.
“He complimented me on my looks, said he liked the way I looked, and then gave me a drink. I had never tasted wine before, but I downed it anyway. Then he asked me to take off my clothes and said he wanted to be naked Saw me. I was really disoriented and not sure what was going on,” Saghir said.
He claimed that under the influence of alcohol, Ranjith sexually abused him throughout the night and even took videos and photos of him.
News18 contacted Ranjith but he is yet to comment on the allegations.
The next morning, Saghir said, his supervisor asked him how much he should charge. That was when Saghir was at his lowest.
“I don't know why he asked this and I felt like I was being taken advantage of. He told me to go back to his hometown. I continued to text him asking about film opportunities but received no response. After sending several messages seeking feedback After I apologized for what I had done, one day I received a text message purportedly from Ranjith's wife asking me to stop texting or calling because I was not working, he recalled.
When asked why he chose to speak out now, Saghir said he felt empowered after the release of the Hema Commission report and wanted his story to be told too.
“I realized that I was not the only one to express how rampant abuse is in the Malayalam film industry, so I took the opportunity to share my story. I returned to Kerala from West Asia, where I had been working, Hopefully I can still be an actor,” he said.
However, Saghir stressed that he has faced pressure to retract his statement since telling his story. He even feared for his life.
“I stand by my statement and the truth will prevail. If there is wrongdoing, it should be exposed and I stand by the truth.
Disclaimer: Due to legal and ethical guidelines, we generally do not disclose the name of the victim in cases of sexual harassment or assault. The name is included in this article because the person has publicly identified himself or herself in connection with the case. We respect the privacy and dignity of all individuals involved and urge readers to approach this matter with caution.
