New Delhi — Police in India's southern state of Kerala have opened investigations into allegations of rape against several popular movie stars from the region's Malayalam language film industry. Cases have been registered against some of the industry's biggest names after female actors started speaking out in a new manifestation of the MeToo movement triggered by a damning government report that revealed a culture of sexual exploitation in Kerala's entertainment industry.
Siddique, who has been accused of raping an actress at a hotel in 2016, stepped down Sunday from his role as the General Secretary of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists. Director Ranjith has been accused by a female actor of sexual misconduct. He stepped down on Sunday from his role as the chairman of the Malayalam industry's Kerala State Chalachitra Academy. Both Siddique and Ranjith have denied the allegations against them.