The announcement that Aashiq Abu and Rima Kallingal, a couple from the Malayalam film industry well-known for their vocal views on feminism, were producing a film titled Party, to be directed by actor Vinakayan, took many by surprise. In June 2019, activist Mruduladevi Sasidharan had alleged that Vinayakan had subjected her to verbal sexual harassment.
While Vinayakan denied the allegation, he was arrested a few weeks later and immediately released on bail. However, Mrudula herself has now taken to social media to register her response. Both Mrudula and Vinayakan are from the Dalit community, and the activist has said that while she will continue to pursue her complaint against him, she does not believe he must be deprived of work opportunities. She has further added that actor-producer Rima Kallingal, who is also one of the founding members of the Women in Cinema Collective (WCC), has stood by her all through and that she does not have an issue with the couple producing the film.
"I welcome the news that actor Vinayakan is becoming a director with pride. As a person who wishes for Dalit representation in all sectors, I see this too as a representation of the Dalit people. It has come to my attention that the Sangh Parivar at this time is trying to profit by mixing this with the verbal sexual harassment case in which I'm the complainant and Vinayakan is on the opposite side. In the humiliation and pain that I had to face, Rima stood by me and also released a statement in solidarity. At that point itself, I had made it clear to Rima that I am not against anyone, not only Rima, working with the actor or doing creative projects with him. I had made it clear in my old Facebook post that I will always be with the actor concerned when it comes to the casteist abuse that he faces and that I will strongly pursue the case of verbal rape. I'm still of the same opinion," she wrote.
In June 2019, Mrudula had written a Facebook post in which she alleged that in April 2018, Vinayakan had subjected her to verbal sexual harassment when she had called him to invite him for a programme.However, in the same post, Mrudula had also supported Vinayakan for the casteist abuse that he was facing at the time because of his anti-BJP stance. Since the actor refused to apologise for the alleged harassment and many claimed that Mrudula was making a false accusation, she went ahead and filed a case at the time.
Actor Vinayakan
"I recognise that those who are now speaking against Vinayakan becoming a director are displaying casteism. In Indian cinema, in world cinema, in Malayalam cinema, there are several accused and those who committed the crime going about their profession. The people have also accepted it. Since I see it as caste discrimination to say that Vinayakan alone should not be allowed to direct, I wish to express my view that the attempts to prevent the actor from becoming a director are not in line with the Ambedkarite in me. Aashiq Abu is from the Muslim community which is facing othering in India. So are the Dalits in India. I see Vinayakan and Aashiq Abu coming together as also Dalit-Muslim brotherhood," Mrudula added.
Ever since the announcement of the film was made, several people have questioned Rima and Aashiq for their decision. Rima, especially, has been asked how she could stand by a man who's accused of sexual harassment while the WCC has, in the past, criticised others in the industry for working with actor Dileep, accused of being the mastermind mind in the infamous actor abduction and sexual assault case. Mrudula, however, has clarified that Rima continues to support her in the case against Vinayakan.
"Rima has taken a supportive stance in my case which has gone to court. I'm sure it will be the same going forward. It's the Indian justice system which should give me the answer. I have provided the evidence for that. I will get the answer from there. Let Malayalam cinema do its work. If my circumstances and finances are favourable when the film releases, I will watch it and criticise if I don't like it or hold it close if I like it. Without giving the wrong message to society that if a Dalit man abuses a Dalit woman, if a Dalit woman's womanhood is insulted, they [the perpetrator] should be forgiven as a 'brother', I believe that true Dalit love is correcting them, abolishing misogyny and making them part of the mainstream. I wish for Vinayakan to establish himself in cinema with a clear mindset and without looking at another woman as a mere body and humiliating her. I still look at the period when Vinayakan's verbal abuse took place with utmost disgust and pain, one that I don't wish to recall. It was a time when I cried without sleeping. I will take this case forward as a Dalit woman. Even as I criticise and go forward with the case, holding the words of Poykayil Appachan close, I wholeheartedly welcome the initiative by Rima, Aashiq and Vinayakan," Mrudula said.
Read Mrudula's post here.