Homebound DOP Pratik Shah finally breaks silence with apology, a year after allegations put him under scrutiny

Cinematographer Pratik Shah has spoken publicly for the first time since multiple allegations of sexual misconduct and inappropriate behaviour surfaced against him last year. In a detailed statement, he expressed remorse for his actions, accepted responsibility for his mistakes, and said he has spent the past year undergoing therapy and rehabilitation.

Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter India, Pratik said he regrets the pain caused in both his personal and professional life. He admitted that growing success affected his judgement and that he failed to understand the influence he held. “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,” he said. He further added, “Looking back, I recognise that I allowed the increasing attention and growth of my career to cloud my judgement.”

The controversy began after filmmaker Abhinav Singh accused Pratik of being “highly manipulative” and “emotionally abusive.” Abhinav also claimed that more than 20 women had contacted him with allegations that the cinematographer crossed professional boundaries and steered conversations in an inappropriate sexual direction. Separately, the Indian Women Cinematographers' Collective reportedly flagged concerns after a junior cinematographer accused him of making inappropriate advances. These allegations have been reported publicly, and no court has established criminal liability in the matter.

As the allegations gained attention, they also impacted Pratik's professional assignments. Filmmaker Neeraj Ghaywan omitted his name from promotional posts related to Homebound, leading to speculation online. He was also no longer associated with the upcoming Sourav Ganguly biopic starring Rajkummar Rao, directed by Vikramaditya Motwane and produced by Luv Ranjan.

At the time, Dharma Productions clarified that Pratik had worked on Homebound only as a freelancer for a limited period. The production house said its Internal Committee under the POSH policy had not received any complaints against him during that assignment. It also reiterated its zero tolerance policy towards workplace harassment.

Before the allegations surfaced, one of Pratik Shah's last completed assignments was filming patchwork portions for YRF Entertainment's upcoming series, Akka.