- Manjummel Boys director Chidambaram S Poduval is booked in a sexual harassment case by Kerala Police
- The complaint alleges the incident occurred in 2022 at Elamkulam, Kochi
- Charges under Sections 74 and 75 of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita were filed
Chidambaram S Poduval, the director of the 2024 Malayalam blockbuster Manjummel Boys, has been booked in a sexual harassment case, the Kerala Police confirmed on Monday.
According to Mathrubhumi News, the Ernakulam South Police registered the case on Sunday after a woman filed a formal complaint regarding the alleged incident which she claims occurred in 2022. Chidambaram has yet to respond to the allegations.
The authorities said that the director is accused of trespassing into the complainant's apartment in the Elamkulam neighbourhood in Kochi and behaving in a sexually inappropriate manner.
Chidambaram is facing charges under Sections 74 and 75 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which pertain to assault or criminal force against a woman with the intent to outrage her modesty and sexual harassment.
According to police, they recorded the complainant's statement before lodging a formal complaint against the director. "A notice will be issued to the filmmaker asking him to appear for questioning," police officials said Monday.
Chidambaram, who made his debut with the 2021 movie Jan.E.Man, shot to nationwide fame and acclaim after the success of Manjummel Boys. The film, based on real events, revolved around a group of friends from a small town called Manjummel near Kochi whose vacation goes awry when one of them falls into an 800-foot-deep pit in the Guna Caves in Kodaikanal, Tamil Nadu.
Manjummel Boys, mounted on a reported budget of Rs 20 crore, emerged as one of the highest grossing Indian films of 2024 earning over Rs 240 crore worldwide.
Chidambaram is set to make his Hindi directorial debut in collaboration with Phantom Studios.
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