Soniya Malhaar vs. Jayasurya over #MeToo allegations

Actress Soniya Malhaar, who has filed a sexual harassment complaint against fellow Malayalam actor Jayasurya, today said she will not budge despite the accused calling the allegations ‘false’ and threatening legal action.

“He (Jayasurya) is calling the allegation false. It is not a false allegation. My statement is very true and very clear. This is the first FIR I have ever filed in my life,” the actor told NDTV in an exclusive interview.

Ms Malhaar is one of the many female actors who spoke out after the Hema Justice Commission report exposed the dark side of the Malayalam film industry, where sexual abuse and exploitation have been commonplace for decades.

Jayasurya, who is facing another #MeToo case, today denied all allegations against him and threatened legal action against those who mentioned his name.

“A lie always travels faster than the truth, but I believe the truth will prevail. All legal procedures to prove my innocence will continue,” he said in an Instagram post today.

Soniya Malhaar said that when the Hema committee report came out, she narrated her ordeal to a news channel but did not name the harasser. But she had to name Jayasurya after several rumours started doing the rounds on social media.

“The issue exploded on social media and people alleged that I had taken bribes. So I had to take Jayasurya’s name to save my dignity,” Ms Malhaar told NDTV.

“I revealed the face of that hero because otherwise it would also affect my dignity. If I close the case, it is not good for me,” she added.

The actress also stated that she will not give up and will continue her fight for justice.

The MeToo movement gained momentum in the Malayalam film industry after the release of the Justice Hema Committee report, which exposed widespread allegations of sexual harassment. The extensive 235-page report, published with the names of witnesses and accused redacted, sheds light on the power dynamics in the industry, revealing that a small group of 10-15 influential male producers, directors and actors wield significant control over the Malayalam film industry.

Amid the outrage it evoked, Mohanlal, a well-known actor and president of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists, resigned along with other top officials. AMMA said the governing panel has resigned and taken moral responsibility for the allegations.