In a move drawing attention amid ongoing reports of sexual misconduct allegations, filmmaker Neeraj Ghaywan has omitted the name of cinematographer Pratik Shah from a social media post celebrating his upcoming film, Homebound. Following the trailer launch, Ghaywan shared an Instagram post featuring cast and crew, but notably excluded Shah, who is credited as the cinematographer in the trailer.
Shah, known for his work on projects like Jubilee and CTRL, has recently faced multiple allegations of inappropriate behaviour. Filmmaker Abhinav Singh reported that over 20 women have accused Shah of crossing professional boundaries, with conversations reportedly turning sexual. He was also previously flagged by the Indian Women Cinematographers’ Collective (IWCC) after a complaint of inappropriate advances. Reports also suggest he was removed from the upcoming Sourav Ganguly biopic due to these controversies.
Dharma Productions, the producer of Homebound, issued a statement asserting a zero-tolerance policy for sexual harassment and inappropriate behaviour. The statement clarified that Shah was a freelancer on the project for a limited period and that their internal committee received no complaints against him during that time.
Despite the controversy surrounding Shah, Homebound has received significant acclaim, premiering at Cannes and earning recognition at the Toronto International Film Festival. The film, starring Ishaan Khatter, Vishal Jethwa, and Janhvi Kapoor, explores themes of caste, religious bias, and dignity. It has also been selected as India’s official entry for the Best International Feature Film category at the 98th Academy Awards.