Latest news with #Homebound
Mint
an hour ago
- Entertainment
- Mint
Hansal Mehta urges to call out ‘predators' at creative workplaces amid allegations against Pratik Shah: 'We owe it'
Filmmaker Hansal Mehta penned a strong note on X, formerly Twitter, account, urging people to call out abusers and predators at workplaces, especially those working in creative fields. His words arrive amid allegations of abuse and misconduct against cinematographer Pratik Shah. Pratik recently worked on Neeraj Ghaywan's film Homebound. Hansal talked at length about men and women in power who can equally inflict harm. He said, 'Abuse thrives in silence. It festers in fear. Predatory behaviour by men in positions of power must be investigated thoroughly, and if found true, must be called out — unequivocally, and without delay. For too long, predators have weaponised influence, privilege, and fear to silence survivors. That silence must be broken.' 'But let's be clear — abuse of power is not confined to one gender. Women in positions of authority, too, have inflicted harm. Abuse has many forms. It is not always sexual. Mental, emotional and psychological abuse can be just as scarring. Just as violating. Workspaces — especially creative ones — often cloak toxicity in the name of 'passion' or 'genius.' That must stop. No art, no film, no script is worth the cost of someone's safety or sanity.' Hansal also talked about victims in these situations. 'Victims need voice. They need redress. They need a system that listens — and acts. Accountability is not cancel culture. It is culture correction. We owe it to ourselves, and to those who come after us, to make our spaces safer. Cleaner. Kinder. Call out the predators. Call out the habitual abuser. Hold them accountable. Let no power be above decency.' While Hansal did not mention any name, his statement arrives amid serious allegations against Pratik Shah who worked as the cinematographer of films like Jubilee, CTRL and Homebound. Independent filmmaker Abhinav Singh accused Pratik of abuse. He claimed that many women reached out to him regarding Pratik and called him a 'predator' in a long note on Instagram. Filmmaker-writer Srishti Riya Jain also amplified several accusations against Pratik on Reddit. 'To everyone pretending to act shocked, scandalised, and suddenly awoken from their slumber… THIS man worked on one of the 'most empathetic' films of the year — or so the interviews at Cannes claimed,' she shared. Reportedly, Pratik has either deactivated or deleted his Instagram account. He did not address the allegations against him so far. As per THR India, four years ago Pratik Shah faced a similar allegation against him. However, he was let go after a warning.
The Hindu
an hour ago
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
Dharma Productions issues statement after sexual misconduct allegations against ‘Homebound' cinematographer Pratik Shah
A day after sexual misconduct allegations surfaced against Homebound cinematographer Pratik Shah, production banner Dharma Productions issued a statement, distancing itself from the controversy and reasserting its stance against sexual harassment at the workplace. Shah, who recently attended the Cannes premiere of Homebound, has been accused of predatory and inappropriate behaviour towards multiple women. He was outed online in a post by filmmaker Abhinav Singh, who has based his claims on testimonials of around 20 women. Homebound, shot by Shah, is directed by Neeraj Ghaywan (Masaan) and produced by Dharma Productions. A story of friendship and resilience, the film stars Ishaan Khatter, Vishal Jethwa and Janhvi Kapoor. The Karan Johar-led banner said in it's statement, 'At Dharma Productions 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. The POSH-mandated Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) at Dharma did not receive any complaints against Shah during his association on Homebound, the statement said. 'Mr. Pratik Shah was a freenlancer on the project 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 our film 'Homebound',' the statement read. ALSO READ: Interview | Basharat Peer on the story that became 'Homebound' Besides Homebound, Pratik Shah has shot CTRL, Jubilee and other titles. According to a report in THR India, four years ago, a young female cinematographer had approached the Indian Women Cinematographers' Collective (IWCC) with a complaint against Shah after he solicited a nude picture. The publication also accessed the testimonials corroborating Abhinav Singh's claims. The women reached to Singh with accounts of Shah's 'creepy' behaviour, with some labelling him a 'predator'. Shah has not responded to the allegations. He has deactivated his Instagram account since May 30, 2025 (Friday).
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Dharma Productions issues statement regarding sexual harassment allegations against 'Homebound' cinematographer Pratik Shah
Cinematographer Pratik Shah, known for Homebound, faces multiple abuse allegations. Dharma Productions affirmed a zero-tolerance policy, stating no complaints were received during his freelance tenure. Shah deleted his Instagram amid accusations. Filmmaker Srishti Riya Jain criticized the industry's selective attention. Shah hasn't publicly responded; similar claims arose four years ago. Neeraj Ghaywan 's latest project, 'Homebound', which premiered at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, has been making headlines for unfortunate reasons. Cinematographer Pratik Shah who worked on the film has faced serious allegations of abuse and inappropriate conduct involving several women. In response, Dharma Productions that has produced the film, led by Karan Johar , has released an official statement addressing the matter. Dharma Productions Reaffirms Zero-Tolerance Policy Johar's well-known production company, Dharma Productions, released an official statement on Saturday, highlighting their firm stance of zero tolerance toward any such accusations. The studio's statement said, 'At Dharma Productions, 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 the project 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 our film 'Homebound'.' Pratik Shah deletes his Instagram profile Cinematographer Pratik Shah, recognised for his contributions to 'Jubilee', 'CTRL', and 'Homebound', has removed his Instagram profile following recent controversies, rendering his social media accounts unavailable. Multiple Allegations and Accusations Surface Multiple women have come forward with allegations against him, some even referring to him as a 'predator.' One woman shared, 'Many women have reached out to me about Pratik and called him a predator.' She further expressed, 'I've spoken out, and now I hear from others. People who've felt silenced or sidelined. It's heartbreaking. The patterns are undeniable.' Industry Voices Raise Concerns Writer and filmmaker Srishti Riya Jain drew widespread attention to the allegations against Pratik by sharing them on Reddit. She condemned the film industry's tendency to ignore misconduct by well-known personalities, stating, 'To everyone pretending to act shocked, scandalized, and suddenly awakened… THIS man worked on one of the 'most empathetic' films of the year — or so the interviews at Cannes claimed.' The Reddit thread featured comments from users calling Pratik 'a total sleazeball,' with remarks like, 'He slides into every girl's DMs and talks crap,' and, 'He sent me a follow request last year while I was liking a mutual friend's pictures. I accepted it, and he said it was a mistake. I unfollowed him immediately — it felt off.' No Public Response from Pratik Shah Yet As of now, Pratik has yet to respond publicly to the accusations. Reports from THR India reveal that he encountered comparable allegations four years prior, after which he was apparently dismissed following a formal warning. Check out our list of the latest Hindi , English , Tamil , Telugu , Malayalam , and Kannada movies . Don't miss our picks for the best Hindi movies , best Tamil movies, and best Telugu films .
Pink Villa
3 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Pink Villa
‘Call out predators': Hansal Mehta urges investigation against Homeboud cinematographer Pratik Shah after s*xual misconduct allegation
Homebound cinematographer Pratik Shah was accused of serious misconduct and abusive behavior. In response, filmmaker Hansal Mehta has urged for a comprehensive inquiry into the pattern of predatory actions by powerful men in the industry. Known for films like Shahid and Citylights, Mehta posted an extended statement on X (formerly Twitter), stressing the importance of accountability, and also called for an investigation. He emphasized that survivors should not be left to endure their trauma in silence. In his X post, Hansal Mehta began, 'Abuse thrives in silence. It festers in fear. Predatory behaviour by men in positions of power must be investigated thoroughly, and if found true, must be called out, unequivocally, and without delay. For too long, predators have weaponised influence, privilege, and fear to silence survivors. That silence must be broken.' See post here: Mehta emphasized that abuse of power is not limited to any one gender, noting that women in influential positions have also been responsible for causing harm. He pointed out that abuse can manifest in various forms, not just s*xual, but also mental, emotional, and psychological, which can be equally damaging. Mehta further remarked that toxic behavior in creative environments is often masked as 'passion' or 'genius,' a mindset he believes must end. He stressed that no artistic pursuit, whether a film, script, or any other project, is worth compromising an individual's safety or mental well-being. The note further read, 'Victims need voice. They need redress. They need a system that listens and acts. Accountability is not cancel culture. It is culture correction. We owe it to ourselves, and to those who come after us, to make our spaces safer. Cleaner. Kinder. Call out the predators. Call out the habitual abuser. Hold them accountable. Let no power be above decency.' Meanwhile, Dharma Productions recently broke its silence on the accusations and stated that it maintains a zero-tolerance policy toward inappropriate behavior and sexual harassment against anyone associated with their projects, treating such cases with utmost seriousness. They clarified that Pratik Shah was engaged as a freelancer on the film Homebound for a limited duration, and his association with the production has since ended. During his time working on the project, their internal POSH committee did not receive any complaints against him from the cast or crew involved with Homebound. Following the emergence of allegations on social media, Pratik Shah took down his Instagram account. He has not issued any official statement addressing the accusations so far. Shah was the cinematographer for Homebound, the sole Indian feature film showcased at this year's Cannes Film Festival. The film, directed by Neeraj Ghaywan, was produced under the banner of Karan Johar's Dharma Productions.
News18
3 hours ago
- Entertainment
- News18
Ishaan Khatter, Neliima Azeem Serve Mother-Son Goals. Bonus: Chandni Bainz
Last Updated: Ishaan Khatter escorted his mother Neliima Azeem to the venue. His rumoured girlfriend Chandni was also spotted at the event. Ishaan Khatter has had a busy month with Cannes 2025 and the release of his OTT series The Royals. The actor was spotted recently at the launch of sister-in-law Mira Kapoor's wellness centre Dhun in Mumbai. Ishaan attended the event with his rumoured girlfriend Chandni Bainz and mother Neliima Azeem. Holding his mother's hand, the actor escorted her to the venue while Chandni followed them. While en route to the event, Ishaan and his mother also engaged in a quick conversation. Acknowledging paparazzi, Ishaan also posed solo. He looked suave in grey formal pants and blazer with a dark T-shirt underneath. Chandni also made heads turn with her strapless asymmetrical dress. Beyond his on-screen prowess, Ishaan Khatter is a doting son to his mother Neliima Azeem. Earlier this year in a chat with Times Of India, the actor opened up on his bond with her, calling her a 'guiding light'. He said, 'My mother has always been the voice and the guiding light, and the constant presence that gently, and sometimes firmly, nudges me in the right direction. Beyond being my mother, she's my best friend — someone I can laugh with, lean on, and learn from every day. She never tried to impose her way of life on me, yet she instilled in me my deepest values. She's shown me that character matters above material things by example and also normalised being vulnerable and real with me. My mother has loved me beyond measure, and through it all." Fresh off the success of The Royals, Ishaan Khatter attended Cannes Film Festival 2025 earlier this month. His film Homebound was screened under the festival's prestigious Un Certain Regard section. Directed by Neeraj Ghaywan and produced by Karan Johar, the poignant drama also stars Janhvi Kapoor and Vishal Jethwa in the lead. It received a remarkable nine-minute standing ovation at Cannes. Meanwhile, Ishaan Khatter's The Royals has been renewed for season 2. The upcoming instalment will mark the return of Ishaan and Bhumi Pednekar as the lead pair. Zeenat Aman, Sakshi Tanwar, Nora Fatehi, Vihaan Samat, Dino Morea and Milind Soman are expected to return as well. First Published:
