'Bha Bha Ba' under fire over controversial ‘joke’: Dileep, Mohanlal, Sreenivasan brothers criticised

The release of Malayalam actor Dileep’s new film, ‘Bha Bha Ba’, has sparked widespread outrage online, with audiences criticising a scene that appears to mock a real-life sexual assault case. The film, the first to release after Dileep’s acquittal in the 2017 actress abduction and assault case, has come under fire for a joke that social media users describe as “inhumane” and ethically indefensible.

Netizens have called on veteran actors Mohanlal and the Sreenivasan brothers, as well as other stakeholders involved in the film, to take responsibility for what is being described as a “sick joke.”

Controversial scene sparks backlash

‘Bha Bha Ba’s storyline, revolving around a character named Radar (played by Dileep) kidnapping another character in his car, has drawn strong comparisons to the real-life case. In the contested scene, Dhyan Sreenivasan’s character calls Radar a “professional kidnapper,” and a flashback depicts him abducting Ramani, culminating in the sexually charged joke.

Several viewers took to social media to condemn the scene, particularly given its parallels to the actress assault case.

In the sequence from the Dhananjay Shankar directorial, a character casually states, “Annan (the Malayalam word for elder brother) kidnapped her and milked her,” followed by, “Relax bro, she is a cow.” The visuals reportedly show Dileep’s character kidnapping a woman in a vehicle.

“The intent feels impossible to ignore, and if that moment is even remotely meant as a wink towards a real-world case associated with Dileep, that isn’t satire; it’s deeply uncomfortable at best,” read one viral post. Other users highlighted that the scene could retraumatise the survivor, with some questioning why similar ethical scrutiny had been applied in other controversies involving Mohanlal and Gokulam Gopalan.

Calls for accountability

Some social media users specifically called for actors Vineeth and Dhyan Sreenivasan to be held accountable for their participation in the scene. “Responsibility should be shared by Mohanlal, every producer, editor, and other stakeholders who signed off on this scene. Mohanlal and Gokulam Gopalan apologised and voluntarily cut scenes from ‘L2: Empuraan’ because it hurt the sentiments of a political party. If you claim yourself to be #avalkkoppam, does this not hurt your sentiments towards her?” one post read.

The scene has prompted heated discussions on social media, with many calling it a blatant mockery of women’s safety and dignity under the guise of comedy.

Dileep’s legal case background

Dileep was acquitted on 8 December 2025 in a high-profile case involving the abduction and sexual assault of a Malayalam actress in 2017. The court found the first to sixth accused guilty of gang rape and criminal conspiracy, while Dileep, listed as the eighth accused, along with three others, was exonerated.

The assault occurred on the night of 17 February 2017, when the actress was reportedly held in a moving vehicle for nearly two hours. Dileep was arrested on 10 July 2017 and granted bail on 3 October 2017. The trial saw 261 witnesses examined, including many from the film industry, with 834 documents admitted into evidence.

Chinmayi sripaada voices outrage

National Award-winning singer Chinmayi Sripaada strongly criticised the scene on X, writing: “People have come to a point where they are actually making a joke about a real-life sexual assault case in a film whose 'quotation giver' has still not been found. Hell is probably better than here.”

Ethical concerns over content

Critics argue that such scenes, approved by producers, directors, and actors, including a female co-writer Noorin Shereef, are a poor reflection of social responsibility in cinema. Some have also noted the Indian Censor Board’s apparent inconsistency, questioning why explicit romantic content in Western films often faces scrutiny while ‘Bha Bha Ba’s controversial scenes remain uncut.

While many Malayalam cinema audiences are accustomed to Dileep’s trademark humour, the backlash reflects growing intolerance for jokes that seem to trivialise sexual assault and women’s safety.

Despite the controversy, ‘Bha Bha Ba’ enjoyed commendable pre-release sales in Kerala, aided by Mohanlal’s cameo and a song featuring both actors.