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CPI(M) General Secretary MA Baby on Sunday, May 25 praised Malayalam actor Dileep’s latest film Prince and Family, calling it a movie that families can enjoy together and lauding it for conveying a “socially relevant message”. Baby made these remarks after watching the film in a Delhi theatre along with members of the local Malayali community.
“The film communicates a very important idea that needs to be widely understood in society,” Baby said. “There is a problematic trend in our society of blindly following what someone says without verifying the facts. Many things that are not factual are being spread, especially through private media, particularly visual media. Reacting without knowing the truth can seriously affect people’s lives,” Baby said.
He went on to commend debut director Binto Stephen and the rest of the cast and crew of the film for conveying this message “through an enjoyable story.”
However, Baby’s public endorsement has drawn criticism from some quarters, given Dileep’s status as the main accused in the 2017 abduction and sexual assault of a prominent woman actor. Dileep was arrested in July 2017 on charges of criminal conspiracy, with the prosecution alleging that he orchestrated the assault in retaliation over personal animosity. He was later released on bail, and the trial is still ongoing.
The survivor continues to pursue the case, which remains one of the most high-profile sexual assault cases in Kerala. In 2022, Dileep faced further allegations of plotting to intimidate the police officers investigating the case.
Though Baby did not reference the case or the ongoing trial in his remarks, his comments praising the movie have raised eyebrows—particularly among those who question how a senior leader from a party that projects itself as progressive and committed to gender justice could so enthusiastically celebrate the work of an actor facing such grave allegations.
Prince and Family marks Dileep’s 150th film and is produced by Listin Stephen under the Magic Frames banner. The film also stars Dhyan Sreenivasan, Bindu Panicker, Siddique, Manju Pillai, and Urvashi.