Prayaga MartinPrayaga Martin found herself in the thick of a controversy over social media reports that she had struck a makeup man and even forced him to apologize to her during the shooting of a movie. The young actor reveals what happened on the set of P T Kunju Muhammed’s Vishwasapoorvam Manzoor, in a chat with Onmanorama.
Prayaga says she was the victim in the case and the allegation against her was an attempt to preempt her complaint.
“The shooting was scheduled for early morning that day. I reached the location at 4:30 am. My role, that of Mumtaz, is too realistic a character that she does not need any makeup. Even if I had to make up, I would do it myself or get someone from my team do it.
“That particular day, the director told me to make my face a little dull. I did not have any shades to do the job. So P T sir suggested that we go to the makeup man on the set. I allowed him to do that as directed by P T sir.
“To everyone’s surprise, the makeup man started to taunt me as I sat in front of him. He made several disparaging remarks in public. The shooting was supposed to take place along a public road. Still he insulted me.
“I chose not to react then because I did not want to interrupt the shooting. I was very upset though. We completed the scene by 7 am. I went to my parents and told them what had happened. My mother told me I should have reacted before telling them.
“She then took me to the makeup man to ask him what the problem was. But he was disrespectful towards her as well. My mother asked him if what I said was true and what was the reason for it.
“He asked her if she would listen to everything I said and asked her to go to the director if she had any complaints. My mother stood her ground and asked him to explain his behavior.
“Then he started to abuse my mother and I lost my cool. I told him to behave, pointing my finger at him. That offended him more. He told me not to point a finger at him. ‘Prayaga, you are just a woman,’ he said and gave me a dirty look.
“Yes I am a woman, I told him. Then he wrung my right arm. When I tried to resist, he hit me on my left arm. I was saved from further assault only because two others held him back. He was so furious.
“The only reason that I did not react then and there was the assurance given by the director and the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists. I immediately called up all the office-bearers of AMMA. They assured me of all their support. I desisted from filing a police complaint against the makeup man. He apologized to me in front of the director and everyone else on the set.
“He and his friends later conspired to target me on social media because they feared that I would file a complaint against him with the police. The movie’s art director, who was not even there when the incident happened, posted on social media that I had bashed up the makeup man.
“I went to P T sir again and told him that I was going to file two complaints: one against the makeup man and the other against the man who posted false reports about me. They later removed the posts after AMMA intervened.
“I have to make myself clear. I don’t have to take the blame for no fault of mine. The truth will prevail ultimately. They were just worsening an issue which I thought they had solved by saying sorry. I still have not filed a complaint with the police because AMMA assured me that they would find a solution within the industry. The association has stood by me and protected me.
“He grabbed my hand and hurt me. No girl should face it again in the industry. I am still working on the movie. We were shooting up to 4 am after the incident.”
