Varane Avashyamund, produced by Dulquer Salmaan’s Wayfarer Films along with M Star Entertainments, released on February 7 to good response. The film, which released on Netflix recently, was Anoop Sathyan’s debut directorial and starred Suresh Gopi, Shobana, Dulquer Salmaan, and Kalyani Priyadarshan in the lead roles.
Two months after its release, a Mumbai-based journalist accused the filmmakers of body-shaming her, pointing out that her picture was used in Varane Avashyamund without her consent. But the situation was defused the same day, after both Anoop Sathyan and Dulquer apologised and promised to look into how it happened.
In a message on Twitter, the journalist wrote along with the pic: “Dear @dulQuer @DQsWayfarerFilm Thank you for the feature in your film but I’d like you to excuse me from body-shaming on a public forum. The concerned image was used without my consent & knowledge in your film. I’d like to claim ownership of the same. Varane Avashyamund. (sic).” And in another tweet that followed, the journo wrote, “While the legal suites would follow, how about a public apology for now?”
Dear @dulQuer @DQsWayfarerFilm
— Chetna Kapoor (@chetnak92) April 20, 2020
Thank you for the feature in your film but I’d like you to excuse me from body-shaming on a public forum. The concerned image was used without my consent & knowledge in your film. I’d like to claim ownership of the same. #VaraneAvashyamund pic.twitter.com/UnDYoDOc3B
Reacting to this within 10 minutes, Dulquer Salmaan replied that he would look into the issue immediately. He wrote, “We take full responsibility for the error on our behalf. Will look into it with concerned departments of the film to understand how the images were sourced. I apologise from my end and from the film as well as @DQsWayfarerFilm for any difficulties caused. It wasnt intentional.”
We take full responsibility for the error on our behalf. Will look into it with concerned departments of the film to understand how the images were sourced. I apologise from my end and from the film as well as @DQsWayfarerFilm for any difficulties caused. It wasnt intentional.
— dulquer salmaan (@dulQuer) April 20, 2020
Anoop Sathyan also replied to her tweet with an apology while also calling her up personally to speak to her. Further to this, the journalist said she was willing to put the matter behind her.
First of all we are extremely sorry for the discomfort caused. There wasn’t any intention to disrespect or objectify women, as the content of this film is in itself against sexism. We do state our apology on behalf of the technical crew of this film.
— Anoop Sathyan (@anoop_sathyan) April 20, 2020
Had a conversation with @anoop_sathyan abt my pictures used in #VaraneAvashyamund Appreciate the thought & effort you put in reaching out to me. Want to assure you that I m willing to put this matter behind. Thanku for the sincere apology @dulQuer @DQsWayfarerFilm @NetflixIndia
— Chetna Kapoor (@chetnak92) April 20, 2020
It may be noted here that the producers of the Arun Vijay starrer Mafia: Chapter One tendered an apology after photographs of real life persons were used to depict criminals in the movie. The photographs used were those of five of the eight victims killed by Toronto serial killer Bruce McArthur between 2010 and 2017. This, after the victims’ families brought to light that the pictures, shown for about 15 seconds, were used in one of the scenes and portrayed them as those connected to a drug kingpin. The production house, while tendering the unconditional apology, also made it clear that the pics would be blurred once the lockdown ended.
(Content provided by Digital Native)