Kochi, Jan 28 (IANS): Even while on bail in a case of sexual harassment, award-winning Malayalam film director Sanal Kumar Sasidharan has been booked in a similar case registered by the Kochi police on a complaint by the same actress.

Sasidharan, who is in the US currently, has been accused of harassing the woman actor over social media.

The police have now started steps to extradite Sasidharan who is presently in the US. As the first step, they have got in touch with the Indian Embassy there.

Incidentally, Sasidharan is presently out on bail after he was arrested from a temple in the state capital city in 2022 on the complaint of an actress that she was being threatened and stalked by him for a while.

Sasidharan then along with his relatives had come to a temple near his home town Parassala in the state capital district when three people dressed in plainclothes (police officials) tried to forcibly take him into custody. Soon the director went live on Facebook alleging that his life was in danger as a few people were trying to "kidnap" him. He was seen shouting that he does not have faith in the system in the state and is presently living at his sister's home in Tamil Nadu, which borders Parassala.

In that case, Sasidharan secured bail. The fresh case was filed by the same actress after she continued to be harassed by the director through social media.

The 47-year-old Sasidharan began his film career in 2000 and the next year he made his first short film using crowdfunding. In 2014 he produced his first feature-length movie 'Oraalppokkam'. The film also won the award for the best Malayalam film in the International Film Festival of Kerala 2014 besides the Kerala State Film Award for Best Director in 2014. His film 'Kayyattam' in 2020 starred Manju Warrier and was shot on an iPhone in the Himalayas and also won acclaim.