Avantika Gaokar's manager today filed a police complaint against film director Rameshnath Venkat Rao who is currently based in Chennai, after the director tried to avoid and ignore her and did not come up with any satisfactory explanation for the alleged leak of her uncensored, unedited nude images which were shot for a look test for an international web series.

She has also served a defamation notice to the director claiming damages to the tune of Rs 50 lakh for outraging her modesty and circulating images without her express permission. The police complaint also mentions cheating and breach of trust and has been sent by courier to the Commissioner of Police Chennai and the Cyber Crime Cell of the Chennai Police.

According to Avantika Gaokar's manager and publicist, the nude images which have now gone viral on the internet were shot by a mobile phone camera by director and producer Rameshnath Venkat Rao during a look test.

Rao told me that the images were required by a Hollywood director whom I met only once through him for a web series on Netflix. The images were totally private and I told him very clearly that the images must be immediately deleted after they were shown to the Hollywood director. I am totally shocked and surprised that they have suddenly come out into the public domain, Gaokar said.

Director Rameshnath Venkat Rao was not available for the comment and his phone was switched off. Meanwhile, the Hollywood director concerned Jazon Fernandez has denied all knowledge of the images. Rao didn't even show me the images. I have absolutely no idea what you are talking about. I had not demanded the nude images and Rao simply acted on his own. We do not ask for nude images to be sent via email or WhatsApp," Fernandez told this reporter.

In fact, Hollywood director Jazon Fernandez whose name has got dragged into this matter, clarified that they never ask for nude pics. "We do not take any auditions via Skype or ask for nude pics or such bold videos. Candidates and artistes are short-listed based on normal images only. If they are short-listed, we fly down to the concerned place and do a proper, professional audition. Some Indian directors are misrepresenting us and demanding nude pics from female models. We are not at all connected to such fake directors," Fernandez said.

Last week, Avantika confirmed the news, adding that she will soon take legal action against the director as well as Netflix. "Yes, it's true. My nude pictures have been leaked by a person who claimed to be a Hollywood director and was working on a web series for Netflix. This is very unprofessional. I am going to sue Netflix," she told this reporter, adding that she spoke to Rao as well as Fernandez who have both denied any knowledge of the incident.