Bigg Boss Malayalam in controversy over allegations of harassment: report

Thiruvananthapuram: Bigg Boss Malayalam Season 6 (BBMS6) is now mired in controversy after the previous season’s winner raised multiple allegations against the show’s broadcaster Asianet and production company Endemol Shine, The News Minute reported.

Akhil Marar in a live Instagram post on April 28 came down against the organisers of the show, hosted by actor Mohanlal, accusing them of exploitation, extortion, and casting couch.

After Marar opened up, two women shared on social media their experiences with Bigg Boss Malayalam and Asianet’s senior management.

Akhil’s allegations came after a contestant in the ongoing season, DJ Sibin, was evicted from the show.

Sibin claimed that the showrunners forced him out citing mental instability, adding that he had no role in the decision, according to the report.

Akhil alleged that members of Asianet’s senior management manipulated the show to work ‘their whims and fancies’.

He added that certain individuals associated with the show take advantage of contestants especially women seeking sexual favours in exchange for the opportunity to enter the show.

Expanding further he claimed that those including the project head and the creative head of the show had been dropped from season 6 after they disagreed with the motives of certain individuals.

“They have previously exploited a large number of contestants, especially women, and even taken away a share of their remuneration,” Akhil reportedly alleged.

Coming down heavily, he said that the organisers of the show administered Sibin with medications for psychological conditions like “depression and bipolar illness” after attempting to portray him as ‘mentally unstable’ while he was on the show.

Later, Akhil elaborated his claims on a YouTube interview, saying that he has chats and voice notes from many former contestants attesting to his allegations.

Giving hints about people in the channel he was pointing at, Marar said one of them was accused of sexual harassment by an ex-employee of the channel.

Marar however cleared host Mohanlal of any involvement in it.

However, a senior ranking official at Asianet reportedly responded to TNM saying that the show always faced such controversies.

TNM quoted the official as saying: ‘Bigg Boss is always prone to controversy in whichever language the show is run in. Furthermore, in this day of social media, anyone can say anything. We don’t have time to address every accusation against us, and we also don’t have any plans to do so.’

Akhil Marar later on May 2 claimed that Disney Hostar, the OTT platform streaming Bigg Boss Malayalam 24x7, decided to form an internal inquiry committee to investigate the allegations.