Kochi: Renowned South director Chidambaram S Poduval has been booked on charges of sexual harassment.
Poduval, who helmed successful Malayalam films like ‘Jan.E.Man’ (2021) and the 2024 blockbuster ‘Manjummel Boys’, has been accused of forcibly entering a woman’s apartment in Kochi in 2022 and sexually harassing her.
“The woman complainant was also active in the film industry. Based on her complaint and statement, we have registered a case. Since the incident is from 2022, we are in the process of collecting evidence and further information. Subsequently, we will arrest the accused,” Hindustan Times quoted a senior police off
icer at Ernakulam Town South station as saying.
An FIR has been lodged against Chidambaram under sections 74 (outraging the modesty of a woman) and 75 (sexual harassment) under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Poduval is yet to respond to the allegation against him and the FIR.
After ‘Manjummel Boys’ became the second highest-grossing in the history of Malayalam cinema, Poduval is busy with post-production work of his next project ‘Balan’.
‘Manjummel Boys’, written and directed by Poduval starred Soubin Shahir, Sreenath Bhasi, Deepak Parambol, Balu Varghese, Ganapathi and Abhiram Radhakrishnan in key roles.
Produced by Soubin Shahir, Babu Shahir and Shawn Antony, ‘Manjummel Boys’ was inspired by a real-life incident that took place at the Guna Caves in Kodaikanal in 2006. It’s the story about a group of friends whose vacation turns into a rescue mission and survival drama after one of them gets trapped inside the caves.
Mounted on a budget of Rs 20 crore, the film went on to earn over Rs 200 crore worldwide.