The Indian film industry is reeling after independent filmmaker Abhinav Singh publicly accused Homebound cinematographer Pratik Shah of sexual misconduct. The controversy has led to swift consequences, with Shah being removed from multiple high-profile projects and facing an internal investigation.
According to a report by Mid-day, Shah has been dropped from Shefali Shah’s upcoming, yet-untitled film, which was scheduled to begin production this week. An insider revealed that the filmmakers decided to cut ties with Shah in light of the serious accusations and are now actively searching for a replacement.
Shah is also expected to be removed from Rajkummar Rao’s upcoming biopic on cricket legend Sourav Ganguly, directed by Vikramaditya Motwane. Sources told The Hollywood Reporter that Shah had recently returned from a location scout in London when the allegations surfaced.
“The recce had just concluded when the news broke. Shah was in the UK scouting for locations,” a source confirmed, noting the timing of the accusations.
In response to the allegations, an Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) has been formed to investigate the matter. While pre-production on the Ganguly biopic continues, Shah’s future involvement is now uncertain.
“After returning from Cannes, Shah headed to the UK for the scout. Now, the ICC is looking into the matter to determine the next steps,” said another insider.
The accusations have reignited concerns over women’s safety in the entertainment industry. The Indian Women Cinematographers Collective (IWCC) has acknowledged the situation and confirmed it had previously received a complaint about Shah back in 2020. The committee is now encouraging other women to come forward with any similar experiences.
Adding weight to the controversy, two women from different corners of the entertainment sector shared their disturbing encounters with Shah. Both claimed that Shah reached out via Instagram and dating apps, only for the conversations to quickly escalate into vulgar exchanges. Allegedly, Shah sent unsolicited nude photos and sexual voice notes during these interactions.
Shah has not made any public statements yet, but shortly after the controversy erupted, his Instagram account was deactivated.
Meanwhile, Homebound continues to dominate headlines for reasons beyond its Cannes screening. Director Neeraj Ghaywan took to social media to share a note of gratitude, carefully omitting any mention of Shah in his acknowledgment.
Reflecting on the journey of making the film, Ghaywan thanked collaborators such as writers Sumit Roy, Shoaib Nazeer, and Varun Grover, who penned the dialogues. He also gave credit to producers Somen Mishra, Dharma Productions, and his broader creative team.
“Now that the whirlwind that was Cannes is over, I’d like to acknowledge the contributions of those associated with #Homebound, starting with the writing process,” Ghaywan wrote. He later added in a comment, “[Sorry I forgot to write in the post that I wrote the screenplay as well. That was by myself.]”
Homebound, based on Basharat Peer’s article Taking Amrit Home, premiered at Cannes in May 2025 and was attended by the entire team—minus Shah, whose professional fate now hangs in the balance.
