'Shame on you...': Actress Ranjini slams Maala Parvathi over controversial remark

Thiruvananthapuram: Actress Ranjini has strongly criticised actor Maala Parvathi for her recent comments suggesting that women should learn to “manage” instances of inappropriate behaviour in the film industry rather than treating them as serious issues.

Reacting to the remarks, Ranjini took to Facebook to express her disappointment. “Shame on you Maala Parvathy! You are a trained Psychologist and Lawyer and yet you support perpetrators like these! This shows that you are an opportunist…too sad & I don’t have any respect for you,” she wrote.

Last day, Maala Parvathi stirred controversy with her remarks concerning sexual harassment in the film industry. In an interview given to a YouTube channel, the actor said that women should learn to “manage” these situations rather than treating them as serious matters.

“Some people in cinema don’t even understand a simple joke...Nowadays, if someone says something like, ‘Let me adjust your blouse,’ or ‘Shall I come over there?’ it turns into this massive stress, and everything seems to fall apart. Why should that be the case? Can’t you just say ‘Get lost’ and move on?," she said.

She went on to question whether such comments should even be internalised as a serious issue, suggesting that if women are to survive in this field, they must develop a thicker skin. “If we treat every minor incident as a huge deal, how will women sustain themselves in this industry?” she asked.

Drawing a metaphor, she said: “When we step onto the road, lorries and buses are bound to come our way. But if you decide not to cross the road because of that, who really loses out? Similarly, when women enter the workforce, they may inevitably face inappropriate questions and comments — ‘Will you come with me? Sleep with me? Join me here?’ These are things we must learn to manage. It’s a skill.”

Her remark came amid the industry rallying behind actress actress Vincy Aloshious stating that she will not work with those using drugs or narcotic substances. She later posted a video on Instagram, explaining her position, saying she and her female colleague had faced inappropriate behaviour recently from a co-actor who used drugs on the sets of a movie.