Malayalam actress abduction: With her head held high

An attack – as brutal as the one the actress endured – would have left anyone shattered. But thanks to her family, the young actress decided to fight back. In an exclusive interview to Kerala Chronicle, the brother of the assaulted actress reveals that she had contemplated ending her career. “Initially, she had decided to stop acting, but we asked her to think about it. Her defeat was what her attackers wanted. We didn’t have to give them that pleasure. This incident is something that could have happened to anyone. She decided to go on with the projects she had committed to and now, nothing can make us step back. We will continue with the fight,” he says.

However, the whole turn of events, including Dileep’s arrest, has left them in shock. “We are still in shock. We were constantly kept in loop about the investigation. But the police hadn’t divulged everything as they had to maintain confidentiality,” he says. Asked if they knew that Dileep was the mastermind in the conspiracy to attack the actress, he refused to respond. “Each word we speak now might affect the case. We need to go through the facts and findings first. Only then will we respond in detail. As of now, it is better to listen to the police version.” Speaking from Chennai, he said his sister was alright and was at their home in Thrissur, away from the bustle of controversies.

“She had been upset, especially when irresponsible comments came from people she had been close to. But now, she is alright. I hope she will air her views in a day or two,” he adds. The journey hasn’t been easy. Though initially they had apprehensions if the truth would come out, as the investigation progressed, the family had full confidence in the police department. “Reporting a crime is a tedious process. She had to give statements over and over, explain the incidents repeatedly and relive the horror. It was emotional torture. Yet she went through everything saying this shouldn’t happen to anyone else,” he recalls.

Many online media and a TV channel had attempted to tarnish the image of the actress, but that hasn’t bothered her. Speaking with surprising confidence, he says, “It happens. As the saying goes, even if you beat your mom, people will take sides. Hailing from a family with a film background, we are aware that film personalities have no private life. People are the ones who decide if they should stone us or garland us. Image is inconsistent in the industry; it doesn’t bother us, nor does such fake news.”

So, are they happy to have made a historical move by bringing in a fearful atmosphere for criminals in the film industry? “Of course, yes. This is not the first attack on an actress. Pulsar Suni himself has been engaged in such criminal acts like kidnapping for years. The victims, out of fear and humiliation, either gave up or quit the industry, making it easier for the criminals to flourish. No one would dare to hurt anyone when they realise the actress is fearless. We are happy that we could bring about a change,” he says. The fighters had a strong backing – from people, both from the industry and those they haven’t even met before. Sounding optimistic, he spoke: “With everyone’s support, she will get over it and continue to take up good projects that come her way.”