Thiruvananthapuram: Malayalam filmmaker Ranjith stepped down as the chairman of the Kerala Chalachitra Academy on Sunday, following increasing public outcry for his resignation after allegations of misconduct by Bengali actor Sreelekha Mitra.

Ranjith communicated his decision to Cultural Affairs Minister Saji Cherian, stating that he is unwilling to continue in the position in light of the allegations against him.
Read More: Bengali actor Sreelekha Mitra accuses Ranjith of behaving improperly with her, director denies allegations

On Friday, Mitra revealed to the media that Ranjith had misbehaved with her when she was invited to his residence to discuss a project. She said she felt uncomfortable after he made subtle advances. She left Kerala the following day. However, Ranjith denied the accusations, explaining that Mitra was called for an audition for the movie Paleri Manikyam, but he decided she was not suitable for the role and sent her back.