Activist Mriduladevi Storms Social Media: "Actor Vinayakan Asked Me To Sleep With Him!"

The Malayalam film industry actor Vinayakan who had given a spectacular performance in the films like Stop Violence came into controversy for female activists releasing strongly worded statements against the actor for making sexist remarks against them in the past.

Mruduladevi Sasidharan, a female activist and poet based out of Kottayam in Kerala, in a Facebook post, mentioned the unpleasant experience with Vinayakan she had to go through.

"I had respect for Vinayakan who stood by the female actor (victim in the actor assault case). Yet, I had experienced his misogynist attitude in real life. No respect for Vinayakan who asked me to sleep with him while extending him an invite to attend a program... I have recorded whatever he had said. I'd watch Thottappan (his upcoming movie). Strongly condemn the casteist shaming he had faced, and I'd actively take part in the campaign against it. I stand by the Vinayakan who was racially attacked, not the one who objectified the female body," her Facebook post reads.

The FB note by Rekha Raj wants actor Vinayakan to apologize. "If a woman reveals that she has been sexually abused, I'd stand by her until it is doubtlessly proven otherwise. I have not listened to the recorded voice as it's unfair to ask for evidence from the one who was subjected to violence. I uphold my faith and support to Mrudula. Fight against male dominance in society calls for serious attention. No matter who the culprit is, he needs to be interrogated. Justice is what is believed by the victimized woman. Taking legal recourse or public shaming is acceptable to me."

After the post, support poured in for the activist Mruduladevi on social media. The ones who had similar experiences are opening up after a long time. Human rights activists Rekha Raj and Ammu Deepa narrated the bitter experiences they had gone through, while Dinu Veyil, another activist, wrote down the experience and the sexist comments he received from the state-award winning actor.

Vinayakan is an Indian film actor who predominantly appears in Malayalam language cinema. Apart from this, he also works in Tamil and Bollywood films. In 2016, Vinayakan won the Kerala State Film Award for Best Actor for his performance in Kammatipaadam.

Vinayakan began his career as a dancer and had a dance troupe named Black Mercury with fire dance being his forte. Director Thampi Kannanthanam introduced him in their film Maanthrikam and later in Onnaman. He was noticed for his performances in the film Stop Violence, and Mohanlal starrer Chotta Mumbai.