Cinematographer Pratik Shah has issued a formal apology after multiple women accused him of inappropriate behavior and sexual misconduct. He admits his actions were driven by insecurity and misuse of power as his career grew. Shah says he is deeply remorseful, has been in weekly therapy, maintains over a year of sobriety, and is committed to accountability and rebuilding trust.
Cinematographer Pratik Shah, accused of inappropriate behaviour and sexual misconduct by multiple women, has issued a formal apology acknowledging his past actions, following a year of public silence.
The allegations against Shah, known for his work on titles like Vikramaditya Motwane’s Prime Video series Jubilee and Neeraj Ghaywan's Homebound, first surfaced last year when filmmaker Abhinav Singh publicly accused him of being “highly manipulative” and “emotionally abusive,” drawing on the personal testimonies of multiple victims.
As previously reported by THR India, Shah’s conduct was also called into question five years ago when a young cinematographer approached a senior member of the Indian Women Cinematographers' Collective (IWCC) after Shah allegedly solicited a nude picture from her. A source close to the IWCC confirmed that Shah had issued an apology at the time.
"I want to address the online allegations made against me last year. I am deeply remorseful for the mistakes I made and the hurt that I have caused, both in my professional interactions and in my past personal relationships," Shah said in a statement to THR India.
"Looking back, I recognise that I allowed the increasing attention and growth of my career to cloud my judgement, leading to actions that were self-centered and wrong. I operated out of insecurity and a misguided yearning for validation, and I regret that I did not stop to consider the power I wielded as a person of privilege and influence."
The DOP noted that his immediate instinct when the claims first emerged was to publicly defend himself.
"However, I soon realised that arguing details did not change the reality of my mistakes. The breakdown of my reputation and relationships was the direct result of my own poor choices, and I take full responsibility for the shame and pain I brought upon my family, friends, and collaborators."
Shah claimed that he is now "dedicated" to moving forward with "accountability, honesty and humility."
"Over the past year, I have been working on myself through weekly therapy to address the root causes of my behaviour and realign my actions with my core values. I have also achieved over a year of continuous sobriety, which remains an active part of my ongoing rehabilitation. I know none of this excuses the past. For that I am truly sorry and ashamed. But I am committed to learning from my failures and earning back trust through my actions."
Following the public backlash last year, Shah was subsequently dropped from the high-profile biopic of former Indian cricket team captain Sourav Ganguly, which is currently in production. The film, starring Rajkummar Rao, is being directed by Motwane and backed by Luv Ranjan.
Shah recently shot the patchwork footage for YRF Entertainment's upcoming streaming series Akka, which was one of his last gigs before the allegations against him surfaced.
In May, several crew members on Akka spoke to THR India on the condition of anonymity about feeling uncomfortable and frustrated over the production house's initial decision to bring Shah back into the workspace. The studio later issued a statement to THR India sharing that Shah's name would be scrubbed from the final project's credits.