‘Homebound’ cinematographer Pratik Shah deactivates his Instagram account right after allegations of abuse. Is he indeed guilty?
Abhinav Singh, famous for directing short films such as ‘Sita’ and ‘Yatri Kripya Dhyan De’, has called out ‘Homebound’ cinematographer Pratik Shah, terming him to be "highly manipulative" and "emotionally abusive". He made these comments after citing testimonies from multiple women in the industry.
Right after these allegations, Shah deleted his Instagram account. When searching for his official handle, a 'user not found' message pops up.
Backstory: Shah came under fire approximately four years ago after a junior cinematographer called a senior IWCC member to report inappropriate behavior, a source close to the Indian Women Cinematographers' Collective (IWCC) who told The Hollywood Reporter.
Srishti Riya Jain's claim: According to filmmaker Srishti Riya Jain, Shah has spent the last four years "on the lookout." She posted Reddit comments on her Instagram story, where a number of people talked about the cinematographer's inappropriate behavior.
What did her post read? "To everyone pretending to act shocked, scandalised and suddenly awoken from their slumber...THIS man who worked on one of the 'most empathetic' films of the year, as per their interviews at Cannes."
Singh’s message: Initially, director Abhinav Singh had warned his female friends to exercise caution around the cinematographer in a post on Instagram. If they were interested in finding out more, he also asked them to send him a private message.
However, later he sent out an alarming message which read: “The number of women who’ve reached out to me is honestly frightening. I feel like I’m having a Margot Robbie moment from Bombshell. I will not be silenced. And to those who are still employing him – f**k you. His name is Pratik Shah. He’s a cinematographer. I’ve spoken out, and now I’m hearing from others — people who’ve felt silenced or sidelined. It’s heartbreaking. The patterns are undeniable. Many have called him a predator."