Kerala: crew member accuses actor Mukesh of sexual harassment
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Manorama photo.
Entertainment: It is a landslide in the Malayalam film industry as women are coming up raising sexual harassment incidents they endured from male artists or prominent persons from the industry. After allegations against actors Siddique, Edavela Babu, Sudheesh, and directors Ranjith and Harikumar, the latest in the list is Mukesh. However, the attempt to sexually abuse a crew member alleged against Mukesh, who is Kerala's ruling CPI(M) MLA, surfaced six years ago.
In 2018, casting director Tess Joseph posted on social media accusing Mukesh of sexual harassment when she was 20 years old.
She posted the allegation when the MeToo campaign was burning. According to the 2018 post, when she was directing the Koteeshwaran show, Mukesh was the host. Mukesh, in his attempt, continuously called her on the phone in her hotel room, but she did not give in to his advancements. She said that with his power, he moved her room next to his, too.
However, her former boss, Derek O'Brien, saved her and got her out on the next flight.
On Saturday, Joseph posted an Instagram story. It read, “We trust these systems to bring us justice, but when I see endless lawyers lining up to defend the state in West Bengal or the silence of an industry on the Hema Committee Report, it feels like justice isn't even the point anymore, it's just some spectacle where the rules are bent to suit those in power."
Further, "How can I trust that things will get better? Trust? It's become a commodity, something I'm not willing to hand out so easily anymore. That deeply saddens me.”
Following sexual harassment allegations against actor Siddique and director Ranjith, both resigned from their respective posts of AMMA general secretary and Kerala Film Academy chairman.