Kochi: Kerala Police have registered a First Information Report (FIR) against actor Tini Tom after an Ernakulam court directed police to investigate a private complaint filed by actor Ansiba Hassan, who alleged that he made Islamophobic "jihadi" remarks against her.
The case has been registered under provisions relating to insulting the modesty of a woman, making sexually coloured remarks, and hurting religious sentiments.
The FIR follows an order by the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court in Ernakulam after Ansiba approached the court, alleging that the Kadavanthra Police had declined to register a case based on her complaint.
The court observed that the allegations prima facie disclosed cognisable offences, including outraging the modesty of a woman, sexual harassment and hurting religious sentiments under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with Section 119(a) of the Kerala Police Act. It directed the police to register an FIR and conduct a detailed investigation.
The case comes amid an ongoing controversy within the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (A.M.M.A.), where Ansiba, the association's former joint secretary, resigned, alleging harassment and communal targeting by members of the executive committee.
According to Ansiba, the dispute began after she objected to a temple committee sponsoring an A.M.M.A. event. She maintained that no religious institution should serve as the title sponsor of programmes organised by the actors' association.
Following her objection, Ansiba alleged that she was isolated and targeted by several executive committee members.
Among her allegations, she claimed that Tini Tom referred to her as a "jihadi" and accused her of attempting to convert other members of the association.
Tini Tom has denied the allegations, describing them as "hearsay."
The controversy has also exposed deeper divisions within A.M.M.A. Ansiba accused the organisation's leadership of failing to act on her complaints and alleged that she was subjected to communal, personal and defamatory attacks after raising concerns over the association's functioning. She has also said she intends to pursue legal action over the alleged harassment.
The crisis escalated after A.M.M.A.'s entire 17-member executive committee resigned following the association's annual general body meeting in Kochi amid mounting criticism of its leadership.
The decision came after members refused to approve the annual report and financial accounts, citing alleged irregularities. Although president Swetha Menon initially announced her resignation during the meeting, she was persuaded to remain before the executive committee collectively decided to step down. A temporary committee is expected to oversee the organisation until a new leadership is elected.
Ansiba, best known for her role in the Drishyam films, began her acting career in 2008 at the age of 16.
Reacting to the controversy, actor Lali P.M. criticised the preliminary police report, which reportedly described the alleged "jihadi" remark as a joke, saying it reflected the normalisation of discriminatory language.
She said such "jokes" have long existed in the form of proverbs, everyday expressions and widely accepted stereotypes used to mock Dalits, women, persons with disabilities, Muslims and other Other Backward Classes communities. In contrast, she said society has also normalised language that glorifies dominant upper-caste groups, adding that the use of the term "jihadi" falls into the former category.
"The police may consider it a joke. But for those who hear it, it is not funny at all," she said.