She intends to reveal the director's identity to the SIT currently investigating sexual harassment cases in Malayalam cinema.
Published Sep 06, 2024 | 11:35 AM ⚊ Updated Sep 06, 2024 | 1:09 PM
Malayalam actor Soumya reveals she was raped by a Tamil director. (X)
In the wake of the Justice Hema Committee Report, which brought sexual misconduct in the Malayalam film industry to the fore, senior actor Soumya has come forward with shocking rape allegations against a Tamil director.
The actor, who now resides in the United States, revealed that the director repeatedly assaulted her sexually during her early years in the film industry. Soumya, who left the film industry years ago, disclosed the harrowing details in an interview with NDTV.
She claimed that the director not only raped her but also subjected her to severe mental, physical, and sexual abuse. She further alleged that the director “inserted a rod into her genitals for entertainment”.
This was not the first time Soumya spoke about the abuse. In an earlier interview with her aunt, actor Lakshmy Ramakrishnan, on a YouTube channel, she hinted at the trauma she endured.
The actor also revealed that she was “groomed as a sex slave” by the director, who first approached her when she was 18, along with his wife.
According to Soumya, the director initially claimed that his wife would be directing a film, but he eventually took control of the project. She described how the director manipulated her into trusting him by portraying himself as a “father figure”, despite his “biological daughter having accused him of rape, claims he dismissed as lies”.
In the interview, Soumya recounted one incident when the director’s wife was not present, and he kissed her while referring to her as his daughter. “I was completely frozen. I wanted to tell my friends, but I felt too ashamed,” she said.
Soumya alleged that the abuse continued throughout her college years and persisted even after she entered the Malayalam film industry.
She also stated her family pressured her to work on the Tamil director’s films, as he had already invested in her screen tests. Feeling obligated, Soumya continued working despite her discomfort.
Actor Soumya now indicated that she intends to reveal the identity of the Tamil director to the Special Investigative Team currently investigating sexual harassment cases in the Malayalam film industry, which was set up following the release of the Justice Hema Committee Report.
In a further revelation, she stated that one of her co-stars, who is among those named in the report, also sexually abused her. She alleged that the abuse was not limited to one individual, as directors, actors, and technicians were all involved.
In one instance, she recalled, a person spat paan on her. “It took me 30 years to heal and recover from the shame,” Soumya said, urging other survivors to come forward with their stories.
Soumya, who appeared in Malayalam films such as Adhwaytham (1991) and Neelakurukan (1992), is the latest person to add her voice to the growing chorus of women actors seeking justice in Malayalam cinema.
(Edited by Y Krishna Jyothi)
