Actor Amala Paul came out in support of filmmaker Leena Manimekalai on Wednesday. Amala tweeted that she believed Leena's #MeToo story because she too had an unpleasant experience working with director Susi Ganesan in the film Thiruttu Payale 2.
However, soon after Amala put out her statement, she tweeted that she had received a call from Susi Ganesan and his wife Manjari, who has been vocal in her support for her husband. Amala said that she had picked up the call to explain her stand and had also consoled Manjari about what was happening. Midway, however, she alleged that Susi Ganesan took over the call and started abusing her, following which his wife started laughing and the two of them together proceeded to slut-shame her. Amala has said that she will not be scared by such tactics.
Just got the shock of my life! @DirectorSusi & @sgmanjari called &I picked up to explain the stand.While I was trying to pacify his wife; Susi strted abusing me&to my surprise his wife strted laughing&they both joined to slut shame me. De feel de can scare me with dese tactics
— Amala Paul (@Amala_ams) October 24, 2018
Filmmaker Leena Manimekalai accused Susi Ganesan of trapping her in a car in 2005 and insisting that she goes home with him. It's only after she threatened to harm herself with her pocket knife that he allegedly let her go. Leena has since been facing a barrage of questions from the mainstream media and on social media.
Apart from filing a criminal defamation case against her, Susi Ganesan and his wife have also been indulging in slut-shaming her. Amala's statement in support of Leena has also attracted similar responses on social media, with several people referring to her much publicised divorce with director AL Vijay and the Suchi Leaks controversy, in which her name was thrown around by a Twitter handle belonging to singer Suchitra. Amala, however, has never backed down in the face of online abuse or trolling.
In her statement on Wednesday, Amala said that Susi Ganesan had "utterly low respect for women" and that he'd spoken and behaved inappropriately with her during the shoot of the film Thiruttu Payale 2. She also said that she believed Leena Manimekalai and added that the judiciary and government must come up with a system to address the issue.
#MeToo #MeTooIndia #LeenaManimekalai #susiganesan pic.twitter.com/Jt2sS685H5
— Amala Paul (@Amala_ams) October 24, 2018