pratik shah, shefali shah, vikramaditya motwane,

According to reports, Homebound cinematographer Pratik Shah has been removed from Shefali Shah’s upcoming project. The makers of Sourav Ganguly’s biopic have initiated an inquiry against him, and the IWCC is also paying attention to the complaints. It is understood that he has been dropped from Shefali Shah’s yet-untitled film. It was scheduled to commence filming this week.

Pratik Shah Dropped From Shefali Shah-Vikramaditya Motwane’s Sourav Ganguly Biopic

An insider informed Mid-Day, “In light of these serious accusations, the team of Shefali’s film has decided to drop him. The makers are looking for a replacement, and the project will roll in a few days.”

This incident has again brought the issue of women’s safety in the film industry into focus, prompting the IWCC to take action. “Considering a complaint was registered with them against Pratik in 2020, the IWCC has promptly taken note of the matter. It has asked female cinematographers to come forward to share their experiences, if any, with Pratik. They are looking into it seriously,” the source said.

Filmmaker Abhinav Singh Accuse Cinematographer Of Sexual Misconduct

This development follows independent filmmaker Abhinav Singh’s statements on May 29. He cited the testimonies of multiple women and described Pratik as “emotionally abusive” and “manipulative.” Singh shared on Instagram Stories that the women’s accounts alleged Pratik behaved like a “predator”. He would often solicit or send unsolicited nude pictures of himself.

Shortly after these allegations surfaced, reports emerged that Pratik, 5 years prior, was investigated by the Indian Women Cinematographers’ Collective (IWCC). It was after a young cinematographer had complained about him soliciting a nude picture.

Inquiry On Pratik Shah

This may not be the only project affected. It is believed that Pratik’s involvement with the Sourav Ganguly biopic, directed by Vikramaditya Motwane, has also been put on hold. An internal inquiry has been initiated. “After the Cannes première of Homebound, Pratik flew to the UK for the biopic’s recce. But now, an Internal Complaints Committee [ICC] has been formed to investigate the claims against him before any decisions about his involvement are made. The pre-production on the project continues as scheduled.” Pratik has previously worked with Motwane on Jubilee (2023) and CTRL (2024).

Additionally, two women from different sectors of the entertainment industry approached Mid-Day to share their accounts of alleged misconduct by Pratik. Their stories depict a pattern where he would initiate contact via Instagram or dating apps. Conversations quickly turning “lewd” and involving the sending of unsolicited or solicitous nude pictures and sexual voice notes. Pratik has not yet publicly responded to these allegations. He deactivated his Instagram account shortly after the accusations surfaced.

Homebound Makers Issue A Statement

Dharma Productions, the backing company of Homebound, issued a statement following the accusations against Pratik Shah. It stated, “We have a zero tolerance policy against inappropriate behaviour 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 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 Homebound.”

Also Read: Dharma Productions Issues FIRST Statement On Allegations Against Homebound Cinematographer Pratik Shah; Says, “We Have A Zero Tolerance Policy”