The MeToo controversy rocking the Malayalam film industry is set to spread over to Tamil Nadu. Vishal Reddy, popularly known as Vishal to fans, said on Thursday that the disclosures would start surfacing in the coming days. “This is not a phenomenon confined to Malayalam films alone. We have many skeletons in the cupboard which will tumble out soon,” said Vishal in a brief interaction with media persons at Chennai. Vishal is the president of Tamil Film Producers Council.
Meanwhile, Siddique, veteran Malayalam actor who had to quit as general secretary of Association of Malayalam Movie Artists following allegations by some actresses that they were harassed by him, was in for a shock on Thursday as an young actress filed a complaint against him with Thiruvaanthapuram Police for rape and physical assault.
“The incident took place in 2016 after the preview show of a Malayalam film. After the show was over Siddique asked me to accompany him to Mascot Hotel owned by Kerala State Tourism Development Corporation where he sexually abused and assaulted me,” said the actress in her complaint.
The police inspected the hotel and reportedly found that the actress and Siddique had stayed in the hotel on the day she mentioned in the complaint. If proved correct, Siddique would get imprisonment for seven years. Actor and the CPI(M) MLA Mukesh got a reprieve from the Ernakulam District and Sessions Judge who asked the cops not to arrest the actor till September 3. Mukesh had approached the court on Thursday morning claiming that the allegations were baseless and have been made with ulterior motives.
But CPI(M)’s Kerala leadership announced that there was no need for Mukesh to resign as the MLA.
“This is a mere charge and it is for the police and court to prove the authenticity of the allegation. There were many serious allegations of rape and assault against Congress party leaders in the past and none of them had resigned. Why you are singling out Mukesh?” asked E P Jayarajan, convener, Left Democratic Front and one of the CPI(M)’s top leaders in Kerala.
CPI(M) ideologue MA Baby with interests in Malayalam film industry supported Mukesh on Thursday and other artists involved in the cases.
Marxist leadership pointed out that Congress MLA Eldhose Kunnappillil had raped a schoolteacher in the capital city and had gone underground for weeks to evade arrest.
“But the Congress leadership instead of taking action against him, in 29were seen saving him from arrest and legal proceedings,” said a CPI(M) leader.
The complaint filed by Sreelekha Mitra against director Ranjith which opened a can of worms reached new heights as the Special Investigation Team probing the case called on Joshy Jose, another movie director to whom the former had confided about the incident.
The sexual abuse about which Tamil actor Vishal mentioned on Thursday brought back the memories of popular play back singer Chinmayi Sripaada against lyricist and Padma Bhushan awardee Vairamuthu in 2018. Thiugh there were many more allegations of sexual abuse against Vairamuthu, no action has been taken against him.
The controversies against film personalities has caused a vertical split in the LDF as the CPI leaders were unanimous in their demand that Mukesh should quit as MLA and face probe. But the CPI(M) leadership os of the view that one need not give any importance to the CPI. “They keep on barking but they will not bite,” said a senior CPI(M) leader.
