It has not been long since the Hema Committee report was released and several female movie artists opened up about the sexual assaults they suffered at the hands of popular Malayalam actors and directors. Several Mollywood icons like Siddique, Idavela Babu and Mukesh were named by women in the industry who went ahead to file formal complaints. Meanwhile, in a fresh development, south actor Ashwini Nambiar claimed that she was sexually exploited by a famed Malayalam director when she was active in the industry.
Ashwini Nambiar, best known for portraying Alli in cult Mollywood hit "Manichitrathazhu", said that she swallowed sleeping pills in the hope of overdosing after the incident but was saved due to timely hospitalisation. Her parents gave her strength to return to the film industry by convincing her what happened that day was not her fault, she told in a recent interview.
Ashwini Nambiar, who is also known by the name Rudra, alleged that she was sexually abused by a respected Mollywood director who summoned her to his office-cum-residence on the pretext of a professional discussion. She didn't doubt his intentions as they had worked together before and he was of her father's age.
The actor told Indiaglitz that it was not an instance of casting couch but falling prey to exploitative circumstances. She added that she has forgiven the predator and doesn't intend to reveal his name in public.
Nambiar, who played Maya opposite Vikram in Mammootty's "Dhruvam", said she was accompanied by her hair stylist to the director's office as her mother was unwell. The "famed director" asked her to come to try out a costume among other discussions. However, when they arrived, she was told that the talks would happen upstairs and not at his office. The hairstylist refused to go there, forcing Nambiar to take the steps alone. She was called to a bedroom by the director, who exploited her, the actor told during the interview. "I went inside with the childish jollies of a teenager. But it wasn't the same me who came out of the room. I felt guilty," she said.
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The feeling of guilt forced her to take the extreme step but the backing of her parents helped her come out of the agony and become active again, she reportedly added. Jayaram-starrer "Aayushkalam", Mammootty's "Kauravar", Urvashi's "Pidakkozhi Koovunna Noottaandu" are some of Rudra's other notable Malayalam movies.
