Manju Warrier moves court against Sanal Kumar Sasidharan over defamation

The Ernakulam Munsiff Court has issued an interim injunction restraining director Sanal Kumar Sasidharan from publishing or circulating through Meta platforms any content allegedly intended to defame actor Manju Warrier. The interim order was issued in a civil suit filed by Manju Warrier through her advocate, Santha Mayadevi, who said she initiated legal action after multiple allegedly defamatory posts and statements were circulated online.

“My client has been facing constant statements maligning her character through multiple pieces of content made by Sanal Kumar Sasidharan over the past several years. She is a reputed person in society. Some suggest that Manju should break her silence on this issue. She does not have the time or reason to respond to these allegations, and the most appropriate way is to give her response before the court, which we have done,” she told reporters here on Saturday.

The advocate said three interim applications had been filed and that the court passed an interim order in one of them. She added that the court has issued notice to Meta in connection with the petition seeking the removal of existing content as well as other allegedly defamatory content circulated through the platform. The court has directed the respondents to file their counter affidavit by September 30.

Sanal Kumar Sasidharan, who directed Manju Warrier in the 2020 film ‘Kayattam’, has for years made allegations concerning the actor’s personal life and safety. He has claimed that she is being held captive by a sex racket, an allegation for which he has sought a government inquiry. Sanal, who is currently on an indefinite strike in front of the Secretariat, has also demanded an investigation into matters he has linked to the Hema Committee report.

Sanal has also faced legal action following complaints from Manju. In January 2025, the Elamakkara police registered a case against him over allegations of online harassment. He was subsequently detained at Mumbai airport in September 2025 after a lookout circular was issued in connection with the case and was later arrested and produced before a magistrate, who granted him bail.