Cinematographer Pratik Shah, known for his work on Homebound, Jubilee and CTRL, was accused last year of sexual misconduct, emotional abuse and inappropriate behaviour after various allegations surfaced online. Shah remained publicly silent for nearly a year. It also emerged that a young cinematographer had privately approached the Indian Women Cinematographers’ Collective (IWCC) five years earlier regarding Shah’s conduct. The matter was addressed internally, and Shah had reportedly apologised at the time.Following the allegations and backlash, Shah lost several major projects. He was reportedly dropped from the Rajkummar Rao-starrer Sourav Ganguly biopic, and his name was removed from the final credits of Yash Raj Films’ web series Akka.Last month, Shah issued his first public apology through a statement to THR India, saying he was “deeply remorseful” for the hurt he had caused and acknowledged failing to recognise the power he held as a person of influence.The statement, however, drew sharp criticism from the Indian Women Cinematographer Collective (IWCC), which said it was “not an apology” but “a calculated exercise in damage control” aimed at professional reinstatement. A part of IWCC’s post said, “Shah’s statement is a textbook example of how perpetrators of sexual misconduct weaponize modern progressive language to absolve themselves.”A month later, Shah issued a fresh statement to Mumbai Mirror, acknowledging the criticism. “My previous statement failed to adequately address and apologize to the women I harmed. I understand why the IWCC criticized my words and I accept the criticism. The IWCC was right that language about personal growth, therapy, or sobriety cannot and should not be used to redirect attention from the women. I took conversations that initially started as professional communication on social media into personal and flirtatious territory via messages. I failed to recognize the power imbalance that existed because of my profession and influence in the industry,” he said.Shah further clarified, “I did not offer or withhold work in exchange for favors, relationships, or intimacy, but my position as a cinematographer with hiring power created inherent pressure, ambiguity, and fear. My intentions did not change the reality that the power I held made those interactions online feel coercive, uncomfortable, or difficult to exit. I am deeply remorseful and I recognize and regret that my behavior caused harm, trauma, and lasting distrust for women trying to navigate their careers in a male-dominated field.“I also recognize that apologies lose meaning with repeated behavior or when past apologies are not followed by lasting change. I know I cannot ask anyone to take my words as proof of change, and I do not expect or feel entitled to forgiveness.”He also addressed the scope of the allegations, saying, “The misconduct I am addressing here occurred on social media. POSH investigations into the productions I worked on have publicly confirmed that no complaints or findings of on-set harassment exist. I mention this only for factual clarity on where my transgressions occurred, not to diminish their seriousness. Misconduct outside of the physical workplace is still misconduct. Professional power can be abused through messages, access, attention and implied opportunity, and I take full responsibility for doing that.”Explaining why he chose to speak now, Shah added, “I am speaking publicly because I believe it is important to take responsibility. I stepped away for some time because I needed to confront my actions honestly. I did not believe an apology would be meaningful until I had begun the difficult work of understanding the patterns in my behavior. I’m truly sorry for the mistakes I have made. I am not asking for sympathy, nor am I asking anyone to treat this statement as closure. Accountability can only be judged by my actions and my willingness to accept the consequences that follow.”
