While a junior artiste accused Baburaj of sexually assaulting her long ago, Geetha Vijayan said Thulasidas misbehaved with her in 1991.
Published Aug 26, 2024 | 3:35 PM ⚊ Updated Aug 27, 2024 | 5:51 PM
Malayalam director Thulasidas and actor Baburaj face sexual abuse allegations. (Supplied)
More skeletons are tumbling out of the closet, with fresh several actors and technicians in the Malayalam film industry being accused of physical and verbal abuse. The latest to join the list are actor Baburaj and director Thulasidas.
After Sreelekha Mitra (Bengali actor), Reveathy Sampath, and Minu Muneer, a female junior artiste in the Malayalam industry alleged that she was sexually abused by actor Baburaj at his house in Aluva, some years ago.
The junior artiste claimed that she was invited to Baburaj’s house, promising a full-length role in a film in 2019. She was informed that the director and screenwriter would be present at the discussions.
“Baburaj promised me a role in the film and invited me to his house in Aluva. He claimed that the screenwriter and director would be present, too. But, when I visited his house, I realised that he was alone. Baburaj showed me the way to a room saying I can take rest until the director and screenwriter arrived,” she said.
However, Baburaj forced himself into the room and then sexually assaulted her, the junior artiste claimed. She stated that she left the house immediately after and didn’t meet the actor again. “Babjuraj continued to send me sleazy messages on WhatsApp but I never responded.”
She added that the actor sexually abused several women in Malayalam cinema. However, they remained silent out of fear.
Further, the junior artiste revealed that many people later contacted her on the phone on the pretext of offering her a role in a film alongside Shine Tom Chacko. These people claimed that Shine Tom Chacko directed them to facilitate meetings with him, read a report in Mathrubhumi.
However, Baburaj denied these allegations, saying he knew he would be the next to be targeted in the wake of the release of Justice Hema Committee Report.
In another case, Malayalam actor Geetha Vijayan, in an interview with a news channel, disclosed that she faced a bad experience in 1991 while shooting for the movie Chanchattam. She alleged that director Thulasidas misbehaved with her.
“The filmmaker (Thulasidas) repeatedly disturbed me by calling my number in the hotel room to ‘check on my well-being’. When I opposed this, he turned vindictive and also threatened to remove me from the industry,” Geetha Vijayan claimed.
When asked about the latest revelations about sexual harassment in the Malayalam film industry, the actor replied that defined this as a powerful movement and felt glad that everyone who committed violence against women is now fearing punishment.
Nevertheless, Thulasidas told the Asianet News TV channel that Geetha Vijayan’s allegations were baseless.
In 2006, the director faced a similar allegation from junior artiste Sridevika. The actor alleged that while filming Avan Chandiyude Makan, Thulasidas knocked on the doors of her room continually for three to four nights.
Sridevika stated that her mother, who was sharing the room with her, informed the incident to a co-actor who helped them change the room. As she didn’t compromise, the actor said her scenes and dialogue in the film were drastically reduced and the director also behaved inappropriately with her on the sets.
Further, Sridevika claimed that no action was taken against Thulasidas though she lodged a formal complaint with the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA).
(Edited by Y Krishna Jyothi)
