'Cynical PR strategy': Women DoPs reject Pratik Shah's 'apology'
What's the story
The Indian Women Cinematographers' Collective (IWCC) has criticized cinematographer Pratik Shah's recent statement, in which he expressed remorse over sexual misconduct allegations. The collective has slammed the statement as "not an apology" and questioned his motives for issuing it now. Shah was accused of sexual misconduct by over 20 women last year.
Statement
'Not an apology': IWCC questions timing of Shah's statement
In an Instagram post, the IWCC said, "It took 12 months of silence, the loss of a high-profile Sourav Ganguly biopic and the unceremonious scrubbing of his name from YRF's Akka for cinematographer Pratik Shah to finally find his conscience." "But let us be clear about what he just published: this is not an apology. It's a calculated exercise in damage control, a desperate bid for professional reinstatement disguised as a moral awakening." They called it a "cynical PR strategy."
Criticism
'Textbook example of how perpetrators...weaponize...language to absolve themselves'
The IWCC further said, "Shah's statement is a textbook example of how perpetrators of sexual misconduct weaponize modern progressive language to absolve themselves." "By cloaking predatory behavior in the vocabulary of therapy and self-reflection, he has crafted a narrative that demands empathy for the abuser while entirely erasing the women he abused."
Allegations
They also said his statement downplayed the allegations' severity
The collective also said Shah's statement downplayed the severity of the allegations against him. "Soliciting nude photographs and subjecting colleagues to emotional abuse are not symptoms of a fragile ego or the confusing byproducts of sudden fame. They are deliberate, repeated abuses of power." "By framing his predatory actions as a tragic flaw born of a desperate need for validation, Shah attempts to downgrade his behavior from predatory to merely pathetic."
Focus
'Victims are treated as mere plot devices'
The IWCC said Shah's apology was more about him than the women who accused him. "Nowhere in this carefully curated paragraph does he directly address the fear, the trauma, or the derailed careers of the young women he targeted." "He is grieving his own demise. The victims are treated as mere plot devices in the tragedy of Pratik Shah's stalled career -nameless, faceless collateral damage in his personal journey toward growth."
Manipulation tactic
The collective also referred to Shah's past incident
The IWCC also referred to a past incident where Shah had apologized after allegedly asking a young cinematographer for a nude photograph around five years ago. "An apology followed by repeated offenses is not an apology - it is a manipulation tactic to avoid consequences." "Only when the consequences finally caught up to his career, was the silence broken. True accountability is quiet. It is the acceptance of consequences without the demand for a swift return to power."
Statement
Here's what Shah said in his statement
In his statement to The Hollywood Reporter India, Shah said, "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." "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."
Career impact
More on the allegations against him
Shah, known for his work on Homebound, Jubilee, and CTRL, faced allegations from filmmaker Abhinav Singh, who accused him of being "highly manipulative" and "emotionally abusive." Singh also claimed that over 20 women had contacted him with allegations against Shah. The IWCC had also highlighted a complaint from a junior cinematographer who reportedly accused him of making inappropriate advances.