Dharma Productions-backed ‘Homebound’ cinematographer faces abuse allegations amid Cannes fame

Indian-American cinematographer Pratik Shah, who recently rose to acclaim for his work in the upcoming film Homebound, has been accused of inappropriate conduct and emotional abuse. Allegations arose when independent filmmaker Abhinav Singh, posted a story on his Instagram account detailing an encounter he had with a certain unnamed cinematographer.

Netizens were quick to react with many sharing their own experiences. Following this, Singh posted another statement revealing Shah’s identity and emphasized that he will not be silenced.

The allegations were further intensified when multiple women came forward with their own experiences. “Nearly twenty women have reached out to me, each of them sharing troubling experiences involving one individual—a predator,” Singh wrote in his Instagram story.

They all detailed similar patterns of highly manipulative and emotionally abusive behaviour. “Extremely lewd,” said one netizen detailing the messages Shah sent to a friend. Singh also shared that Shah has been “on the prowl since 4 years” and criticized the film industry for having a selective attention span when the accused are acclaimed.

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The Hollywood Reporter India also reported that 4 years ago a similar movement was initiated against Shah by the Indian Women Cinematographer Collective (IWCC) when a young cinematographer approached the Collective about a similar complaint.

Shah, known for projects such as Jubilee and CTRL was recently seen representing India at the 78th Cannes Film Festival for his upcoming film Homebound. Directed by Neeraj Ghaywan and produced by Dharma Productions, the film premiered under the Un Certain Regard at Cannes.

Following these accusations, Shah has not issued a statement addressing the issue and has also deactivated his Instagram account.

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Veteran Indian filmmaker Hansal Mehta released a statement via Instagram saying, “Serious allegations of predatory behaviour have emerged against cinematographer Pratik Shah. These must be hard. Because if they aren’t, like so many before, this too will fade – and once again, predatory behaviour will be forgiven in the name of art.”

The incident has led to wide conversations about the sacredness of the industry’s work and accountability in the workplace. With reignited debates about the internet, fans are still awaiting a response from the filmmaker and official channels.

 

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