Pratik Shah has come forward with an apology after facing scrutiny for being accused of being highly manipulative and allegedly causing sexual misconduct with over 20 women. Keep scrolling to know more.
For the first time after facing multiple accusations for alleged sexual misconduct and inappropriate behaviour over 20 years, Homebound DOP Pratik Shah has come out and apologised. In the statement, the cinematographer has taken responsibility for his actions and admitted that he made a serious mistake and revealed that he spent the past year in therapy and rehabilitation while working towards becoming a better person.
Addressing the alleged sexual misconduct accusations, Pratik said he deeply regrets the pain he caused in both his professional and personal lives. The DOP also claims to have reflected on how his success ended up affecting his judgment. He also admitted that he failed to recognise the influence and privileges he had.
What Did Pratik Say In His Statement
“I want to address the online allegations made against me last year. I am deeply remorseful for the mistakes I made and the hurt that I have caused, both in my professional interactions and in my past personal relationships. However, I soon realised that arguing details did not change the reality of my mistakes. The breakdown of my reputation and relationships was the direct result of my own poor choices, and I take full responsibility for the shame and pain I brought upon my family, friends, and collaborator,” Pratik said in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter India.
“Looking back, I recognise that I allowed the increasing attention and growth of my career to cloud my judgement, leading to actions that were self-centered and wrong. I operated out of insecurity and a misguided yearning for validation, and I regret that I did not stop to consider the power I wielded as a person of privilege and influence.”
What Was Pratik Accused Of
Pratik Shah, best known for his work on Jubilee and CTRL, faced intense scrutiny after filmmaker Abhinav Singh publicly accused him of being “highly manipulative” and “emotionally abusive.” Singh also claimed that more than 20 women had contacted him with allegations that Shah repeatedly crossed professional boundaries and steered conversations in an alleged inappropriate sexual direction.
These allegations quickly gained traction, and the Indian Women Cinematographers’ Collective (IWCC) flagged Pratik after a junior cinematographer reportedly accused him of making alleged inappropriate advances. These allegations also affected his professional life. When Drama Production found out about the same, they released a 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. 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,” the statement read.