Anna Ben on being questioned for attending temple function, says Kerala teaches us to embrace all

Actor Anna Ben has addressed the questions surrounding her presence at a temple event, and her candid remarks are now widely circulating on social media. She was invited as a guest to a special ceremony at the Thykkattu Mahadeva Temple, where she spoke openly about the curiosity and confusion that often arise around her name and identity.

Anna explained that people frequently pause when they hear her father’s name, Benny P Nayarambalam, wondering if “Nayarambalam” signals a particular caste or community. With her own name being Anna, the questions only multiply. She recalled how, during her school days, some would even jokingly call her “Annapoorna”, a memory she now looks back on with amusement, though it reflects a pattern of questions she has faced since childhood.

Using the moment to speak about a larger idea, Anna said that debates around religion and identity often lead to divisions across the world, including in India. Yet, she believes Kerala has long stood apart as a space that embraces differences and reminds people of their shared humanity. She considers it a privilege to have been born into such a culture. As an artist, she added, religion is far too expansive to be boxed into a single community, and Kerala’s inclusive ethos is what allows everyone to feel they belong.