Actor Chandu Salimkumar, son of veteran actor Salim Kumar, has responded to a controversial social media post made by actor Vinayakan. The post drew attention after Vinayakan appeared to criticise Salim Kumar for attending public events despite being unwell.

Sharing his thoughts in a film discussion group, Chandu stated that only those who have personally gone through such experiences can truly understand their consequences. He also remarked that he was unaware that speaking out against drug use could be considered a crime.

ADVERTISEMENT

Vinayakan had posted his comments in the popular Facebook group Cinema Paradiso. Chandu responded directly in the comment section, offering a pointed rebuttal.

'When Vinayakan first met me, he once told me something: "These so-called senior actors always kept me at a distance. But your father… he was the only one who stood by me. That’s the kind of person he is." And now, it’s the same person saying all this,' Chandu wrote.

ADVERTISEMENT

He continued: 'People who exploit drugs need to understand how deeply it can affect someone. He doesn’t even seem to grasp what’s really going on.'

Chandu also pointed out that most of the events Vinayakan has attended were either awareness programs or community gatherings. 'In those spaces, you can’t just say, "Everyone go drink and ruin your liver like I did." Only those who’ve actually experienced it can speak about its dangers in a way that others can understand.'

ADVERTISEMENT

Addressing the seriousness of the issue, he added: 'I genuinely didn’t know that speaking out against drugs is considered a crime. People here are trying to rebuild their lives after facing the harsh truth.'

He ended his comment with a pointed analogy: 'If someone makes a comment about your mother or sister at home, you wouldn’t say, "It’s fine, the language is just a bit off, don’t make it a big deal," would you?'
Chandu’s response sharply questioned Vinayakan’s position, highlighting the contradiction between his public statements and past sentiments.

The comments posted here/below/in the given space are not on behalf of Onmanorama. The person posting the comment will be in sole ownership of its responsibility. According to the central government's IT rules, obscene or offensive statement made against a person, religion, community or nation is a punishable offense, and legal action would be taken against people who indulge in such activities.