‘Imagine your name linked to murder accused’: Scriptwriter Rajesh Thillenkeri hits out at Kerala PSC photo gaffe

What should have been a moment of celebration for screenwriter Rajesh Thillenkeri instead turned distressing after Kerala PSC callously linked his name with Akash Thillenkeri, a person widely known for his alleged involvement in the high-profile Shuhaib murder case.

Rajesh, whose screenplay for 'A Pregnant Widow', directed by Unni K.R., won the Kerala Film Critics Award 2025, was featured in a PSC bulletin highlighting the award winners. However, instead of publishing his photograph, the bulletin carried the image of Akash Thillenkeri, alongside Rajesh’s name.

“I came to know about this only after reading newspaper reports. Imagine having your name linked to an accused in the Shuhaib murder case. The PSC should be ashamed of making such a mistake,” Rajesh said, adding that he was considering legal action against the Kerala Public Service Commission, which publishes the bi-weekly bulletin.

“If this had happened in any other publication, it could perhaps have been overlooked. But the PSC is an institution that people rely on for accurate current affairs information. It cannot simply shrug off such an incident. I do not see this as an oversight; I see it as callousness. Every edition goes through multiple levels of editorial scrutiny. How could such an error slip through?” he asked.

Rajesh pointed out that photographs of Akash Thillenkeri have been widely published in newspapers, while his own photographs are also easily available in the public domain. “Such mistakes may have happened in the past when fact-checking tools and digital verification systems were not readily available. But for the PSC to commit such an error today, despite having access to these resources, is unacceptable. I want accountability, not just for myself, but to ensure that similar mistakes do not happen to others in the future. This is why I am contemplating legal action,” he said.

He also expressed disappointment that no one from the commission had personally contacted him to apologise. “I later learned that the mistake had been corrected. But this was a printed publication. How can that be rectified except through a corrigendum in a future issue? No one from the PSC has called me or reached out to apologise for the error,” he said.

Rajesh also raised concerns about what he described as discrimination against ‘A Pregnant Widow’ during its submission to the International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK). According to him, the film was selected for and screened at several festivals, including those in Bengaluru, Sri Lanka, and Mumbai, where it received recognition and awards. Despite this, it was not selected for screening at last year’s IFFK.

“MLA P T Kunju Muhammed, who was the chairman of the Malayalam film section committee of the IFFK said the film was too far-fetched and depicted issues that no longer exist in Kerala. But the film deals with sexual assault, Dalit issues, and colour discrimination, subjects that remain relevant and deserve discussion,” he said. The screenplay writer added that he plans to meet Cultural Affairs Minister P C Vishnunadh to raise his concerns regarding both the PSC error and the treatment of his film.