Young female writer raises allegation against VK Prakash, says he misbehaved during story discussion

Thiruvananthapuram: The storm shaking the Malayalam film industry continues to gather momentum as more allegations come to light, further tarnishing the industry's image. On Monday, a new allegation emerged from a young female writer, who claimed that director VK Prakash misbehaved with her when he called her to a hotel room in Kollam under the pretext of discussing her story.

Speaking to Mathrubhumi News, the young writer stated that the incident occurred on April 4, 2022. VK Prakash had invited her to a hotel where he had reserved a room for her. He was staying in the same hotel. Previously, the writer had called Prakash to pitch a story she wanted him to direct. "He had shown enthusiasm about my idea and agreed to discuss the story," she said. "I had told him many times that I could send him the story and continue the discussion only if he was interested."

The director responded positively and asked her to meet him in person for a detailed discussion about the script. When she expressed difficulties in traveling from Kochi to Kollam, he insisted on meeting as soon as possible, citing upcoming out-of-town commitments.

A room was reserved in a Kollam hotel, and the writer traveled there on April 4, 2022. VK Prakash visited her room in the evening and requested her to present her story. During the storytelling, VK Prakash interrupted and offered her drinks. He then asked if she was interested in acting. When she declined the acting offer and insisted on being a scriptwriter, he narrated a scene and asked her to act it out.

When she refused to act, VK Prakash allegedly attempted to kiss her and forced her onto the bed. She resisted and stated that she wanted to leave. She made it clear that she had come to Kollam only to discuss her script. VK Prakash then asked if she was sure about her decision, to which she replied affirmatively.

According to the young woman, VK Prakash left her room and returned to his own. Within 15 minutes, she also left and went back to Kochi. The following morning, she discovered numerous missed calls from VK Prakash. When she called him back, he asked her not to ruin his reputation and also sent her ₹10,000 for travel expenses.

"I did not confide in any friends and was afraid to file an official complaint. Now, I feel confident as Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has promised protection and support to women who have faced such experiences while pursuing their dreams. I had admired his films and never expected him to behave this way. There was no one else present. Navya Nair was on a call, and he put it on loudspeaker.

"It was my first experience in the film industry. I have no influential connections here. If you do not like the story, reject it. Do not insult me by calling under the guise of a discussion. If you cannot help, talk straight about it. Do not demean people like me," the writer stated. "What I have said is true, and I stand by it. I have already lodged a complaint with the special investigation team."