Thiruvananthapuram: An actress has lodged a harassment complaint against Mansoor Rasheed, an assistant director of Mohanlal starrer movie 'Bro Daddy', directed by actor Prithviraj. The actress alleged that Mansoor sexually assaulted her under the guise of offering her a role in a film. He then took nude photographs of her and used them to blackmail her. 

The incident is said to have happened in Hyderabad in 2021. Following the complaint, the Hyderabad police registered a case against Mansoor, a native of Oachira in Kollam. However, when the police attempted to arrest him at his residence in Kollam, he managed to escape. The actress alleged that he is receiving political protection. 

Drugged, raped, and blackmailed

The complaint also alleged that the accused extorted Rs 6.5 lakh from her multiple times by threatening to release the nude photographs he had taken.

The actress had arrived in Hyderabad to participate in the shooting of a wedding scene for the film, having been recommended by the Malayali Association. Mansoor booked the hotel room, where he offered her a drink laced with drugs, rendering her unconscious. Upon regaining consciousness, she realised she had been raped. She promptly informed her relatives and left the hotel. However, the following morning, Mansoor allegedly sent her the nude pictures and demanded money to keep them from being made public. This led to a rape case being filed at the Gachibowli Police Station in Hyderabad. Despite this, the actress claimed that Mansoor continued to extort money from her by threatening to release the photos.

The actress has accused Mansoor of using political connections to evade arrest. She expressed frustration that, despite being accused of rape, Mansoor continued to receive work offers from prominent figures in the film industry. The actress has also raised the issue with the Kerala Chief Minister and the Cultural Minister but says no action has been taken. After several other actresses came forward with complaints of sexual harassment in the film industry, the actress approached the special investigation team to seek justice.