Following allegations of sexual harassment and inappropriate behavior against Pratik Shah, the cinematographer of their film Homebound, Karan Johar's Dharma Productions has issued an official statement. The accusations against Shah surfaced recently, with independent filmmaker Abhinav Singh initially raising concerns on Instagram about a cinematographer being "highly manipulative and emotionally abusive." Singh did not initially name Shah but later revealed his identity after claiming that numerous women had contacted him with their own experiences.
The allegations against Shah include claims of "abuse" and "inappropriate behavior" towards multiple women. Some women have referred to Shah as a "predator," sharing stories of feeling "silenced or sidelined." Filmmaker-writer Srishti Riya Jain amplified these accusations on Reddit, criticizing the film industry's selective attention towards misconduct, especially when it involves acclaimed individuals. Shah's social media presence has also been affected, with the cinematographer deleting his Instagram profile amidst the rising controversy.
Dharma Productions' statement, released on Saturday, asserts a "zero tolerance policy" towards inappropriate behavior and sexual harassment. The production house emphasized that they "treat sexual harassment cases very seriously." The statement further clarifies Shah's involvement with Homebound, explaining that he was a freelancer working on the project for a limited time. Dharma Productions also stated that Shah’s engagement with them has been completed and that their internal committee for Prevention of Sexual Harassment (POSH) did not receive any complaints against him from any cast or crew member during his time on the film.
The statement reads: “At Dharma Productions, we have a zero tolerance policy against inappropriate behavior 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.”
Homebound, directed by Neeraj Ghaywan and produced by Dharma Productions, recently premiered at the Cannes Film Festival 2025, where it received a nine-minute standing ovation. The film stars Ishaan Khatter, Vishal Jethwa, and Janhvi Kapoor and tells a story of friendship and resilience.
According to reports, Pratik Shah had faced similar accusations four years prior to these recent allegations. It was reported that a young female cinematographer had reached out to the Indian Women Cinematographers’ Collective (IWCC) to report inappropriate behavior, including allegedly soliciting a nude picture.
As of today, June 1, 2025, Pratik Shah has not yet publicly responded to the allegations. Hansal Mehta has called for an investigation into the allegations against Shah and stated that victims need a voice.
