Cinematographer Pratik Shah, who has worked on award-winning films like Neeraj Ghaywan’s Homebound, Vikramaditya Motwane’s Jubilee, and CTRL, has found himself under fire after severe allegations of misbehavior. Director Abhinav Singh, famous for short films like Sita featuring Shriya Pilgaonkar and Yatri Kripya Dhyan De on Amazon Mini TV, openly accused Shah of being “highly manipulative” and “emotionally abusive.”
Abhinav Singh went to Instagram to post that several women had approached him with complaints of Shah’s improper conduct. He accused Shah of frequently violating professional boundaries, with the conversations turning “sexual” and “creepy.” “Over 20 women contacted me,” Singh said, referring to Shah as a “predator.”
Pratik Shah Deactivates Social Media After Complaints Emerge
After the public allegations, Pratik Shah, who recently visited the Cannes Film Festival with the Homebound crew, disabled his Instagram account late Thursday night. This was after an outburst of online outrage and renewed questioning of Shah’s conduct within India’s film industry.
Previous Grievances to IWCC Surface
The Hollywood Reporter says that Shah had earlier faced criticism by the Indian Women Cinematographers’ Collective (IWCC). The source mentioned that four years ago, a young cinematographer had complained to Shah about soliciting a nude photo after their professional engagement started on Instagram.
“The girl panicked and went to someone above her, who informed IWCC. IWCC’s senior member contacted him on WhatsApp and called him out, telling him this was not decent behaviour. He apologized and admitted that it was a one-time mistake that won’t be repeated,” the source mentioned.
Testimonies Raise Alarming Concerns
Abhinav Singh also published anonymous interviews of several women. They accused Shah of sharing unsolicited nude photos or asking for them. The testimonies outlined the same pattern of manipulative and exploitative conduct in the workplace.
While the film world grapples with these revelations, many are demanding increased accountability. Others are calling for institutional change within the industry to create safer workplaces for women professionals.