No assault, attempt to harm my bond with Tovino: Unni Mukundan responds to allegations

Actor Unni Mukundan has responded to allegations that he assaulted his manager, Vipin Kumar, stating that the claims are baseless and part of a smear campaign. In a detailed statement to Manorama Online, Unni clarified that he did not physically harm Vipin, but only confronted him for spreading false information. He added that the entire incident took place in a CCTV-monitored area in the presence of their mutual friend Vishnu Unnithan.

“Vipin has taken actions that seem intended to tarnish my reputation,” Unni said. “It's impossible to explain the shock and pain when someone you've been close to for years suddenly turns against you. When Vishnu Mohan, the director of 'Meppadiyan', asked Vipin about the matter, he admitted his mistake and apologised. Later, Vishnu himself called me and suggested that I meet Vipin directly to resolve the issue. I went to the Kochi flat for that reason — I wanted to know why someone I considered a good friend for so long would spread false accusations against me.”

Describing the confrontation, Unni said the meeting took place in the basement parking area of a Kochi flat, with Vishnu Unnithan present.

“Vipin came out wearing dark sunglasses. I asked him why he was speaking badly about me to others. He didn’t give a clear answer and appeared nervous and caught off guard. This was the same person who had earlier admitted his mistake to Vishnu. Yet in front of me, he stood there unaffected.

“That’s when I asked him to remove his sunglasses and talk to me. He couldn’t even look me in the eye. I also asked Vishnu why Vipin was behaving this way. Yes, I removed and broke his sunglasses — that is true. But I did not engage in any act that could be called physical assault.

“This all happened in an area constantly monitored by CCTV, with people always around. Vipin even apologised in front of Vishnu. I told Vipin that this was the end of our working relationship.”

Unni added that he asked Vipin to return access to his accounts and passwords and to provide a written apology. “He’s now in damage control mode, trying to cover up his mistakes by making childish accusations.”

Unni also addressed the rumour that he had spoken against the film 'Narivetta', calling it “propaganda meant to harm both me and Tovino.”
“I personally called Tovino and explained everything — he understood the situation. We’ve been friends since we entered the industry and share a strong bond. Tovino was someone who celebrated the success of 'Marco' with me. No false rumour can destroy that friendship.”

According to Unni, Vipin has faced multiple complaints within the film industry.
“There have been many complaints about Vipin within film organisations. A leading actress even filed a complaint against him with the ICC. During the promotion of 'Marco', there were also issues. One major criticism against him was that he tried to take full credit for the work. I personally got involved at that time to resolve the matter.”

Unni revealed that he had been supportive of Vipin for years, even assisting his family during a medical emergency. “When his father needed heart treatment, I stood by them and helped financially. But in the end, he’s trying to blackmail me.”

Clarifying his professional arrangements, Unni stated, “The truth is, I don’t have a personal manager. Some people contact me directly; others get news through PROs. Vipin is just a PRO who handled publicity for my films, just as he does for many other actors. He’s worked with stars like Prithviraj and Tovino and continues to do so.”

He emphasised that the only member of his personal staff is his makeup artist, Arun Ariyoor, who has been with him for the past ten years. “No staff member has ever made a complaint against me. I’m someone who dreams only about cinema and strives to stay sincere to it.”

Unni concluded his statement with a message to the public: “I request everyone to understand the truth behind such news before making judgments. It’s easy to spread and believe baseless stories about actors' personal lives. But no matter how loudly the truth is spoken, sometimes that voice doesn’t reach far enough.”