Filmmaker Anjali Menon walloped for double standards over actress case

Filmmaker Baiju Kottarakkara has criticised director Anjali Menon for asking what the Malayalam movie industry has done for an actress who was assaulted in 2017. In a Facebook post, Kottarakkara pointed out that Anjali did not even speak out in favour of the actress when the association in which she is a member chose to be silent on the issue.

“Anjali’s recent tweet has pointed finger at all the associations in the Malayalam cinema over the actress attack case. The MACTA (Malayalam Cine Technicians Association) had condemned the incident the next day itself. By why didn’t Anjali speak out when the association in which she is a member kept quiet?” Asked Baiju.

He stated that he had always extended his support to the attacked actress. He wrote, “Did Anjali keep mum fearing a ban or thinking that she wouldn’t get the dates of the stars? When she is supporting the survivor for an incident which happened two years ago, Anjali still hasn’t publicly extended her support for her colleague!” 

Baiju asked why Anjali didn’t demand the expulsion of the accused from the association in which she too is a member. “While fumbling for the hashtag button on the laptop, you could also extend your hands to hold your friends closer,” Baiju concluded his Facebook post.

In her recent blog post Anjali discussed the #metoo movement that is gaining momentum in India. She pointed out that the film associations based in Mumbai have extended their support to women who claim to have been harassed. “In 2017, a woman actor who was actively working in the Malayalam film industry for 15 years was sexually assaulted. She spoke about her experience and filed a police complaint and is taking things ahead to ensure the culprits are brought to book legally,” Anjali wrote in her blog.

The woman filmmaker also stated in this context that Kerala has strong film organisations that support each other. “Where is the pro-active action supporting the survivors?” The filmmaker asked in her blog post.