Manjummel Boys director Chidambaram booked in sexual harassment case by Kochi police

The Kochi city police have registered a case against Malayalam filmmaker Chidambaram, who directed the 2024 film Manjummel Boys, for allegedly sexually harassing a woman.

Police said as per the complaint, the incident happened in 2022 in an apartment in Kochi, where the director allegedly trespassed into the complainant’s premises and harassed her.

Chidambaram was booked under section 354 (assault or criminal force used on a woman with the intent to outrage her modesty) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) as the alleged incident took place in 2022, before the new Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) came into force, police said.

According to officers, further action on the case will be initiated only after examining all relevant details and recording detailed statements of the complainant, who is also associated with the film industry.

A notice will be issued to the filmmaker asking him to appear for questioning, police officers said.

Chidambaram has not yet responded to the allegations.

He is known for his 2024 directorial venture Manjummel Boys, a film based on an incident that took place in 2006, when a man got stuck inside the Guna Caves. It was one of the highest-grossing films to come out of the Malayalam film industry in recent years. Chidambaram won the state government’s award for Best Film Director in 2024 for his work on the film. His debut venture was Jan E Man, which was released in 2021.

Manjummel Boys has faced legal trouble in the past, with actor-producer Soubin Shahir being arrested in a case of alleged financial fraud.

Shaju Philip is a Senior Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, where he leads the publication's coverage from Kerala. With over 25 years of experience in mainstream journalism, he is one of the most authoritative voices on the socio-political, religious, and developmental landscape of South India. Expertise, Experience, and Authority Decades of Regional Specialization: Shaju has spent more than two decades documenting the "Kerala Model" of development, its complex communal dynamics, and its high-stakes political environment. Key Coverage Beats: His extensive reporting portfolio includes: Political & Governance Analysis: In-depth tracking of the LDF and UDF coalitions, the growth of the BJP in the state, and the intricate workings of the Kerala administration. Crime & Investigative Journalism: Noted for his coverage of high-profile cases such as the gold smuggling probe, political killings, and the state’s counter-terrorism efforts regarding radicalization modules. Crisis Management: He has led ground-level reporting during major regional crises, including the devastating 2018 floods, the Nipah virus outbreaks, and the Covid-19 pandemic response. ... Read More

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