Actor Shwetha Menon has opened up about the emotional toll of a past controversy that left her shaken for days, saying she “cried for three days” after a man levelled accusations that threatened both her dignity and the image her daughter held of her.

Speaking in an interview with Dhanya Varma, the actor discussed how violations of her personal space, misuse of her images, and unfounded allegations have affected her over the years.

Balancing public life and personal space

Reflecting on moments when her privacy was breached or her photographs were used without consent, Shwetha said she has never hesitated to confront such situations. She explained that she reacts “either directly or legally” whenever boundaries are crossed.

“There is my profession and there is my personal life, and I don’t mix the two. I don’t bring my work home. I never displayed any of the awards I received for my films – they were all kept inside suitcases. I only took them out because my husband and daughter kept insisting. For me, home is my comfort space. I don’t want to walk into my house as Shwetha Menon the artist; I walk in as a wife, a mother, and a daughter.”

The actor, known for roles that often demand intense performances, said she has always drawn a clear line between her craft and her personal identity.

A career built with intent, pride and consent

Discussing her professional journey, Shwetha said she is deeply proud of the choices she has made as an artist.

“Professionally, I am willing to do anything because I take great pride in my work. It’s my passion. I will go to any extent for a character because that is part of my job. I have done ‘Kalimannu’, ‘Paleri Manikyam’, ‘Rathinirvedam’, played a male character in ‘Naval Enna Jewel’, and many others. I am proud of every single project I’ve worked on – that is my testimony. But there is another life beyond that. Don’t mix the two.”

She stressed that decisions regarding her work are made solely by her or her director. Any use of her images, she said, must be authorised.

“Every aspect of my work – including where it can be used – is decided by me or my director. If my photos are used anywhere without my permission, I will protest. It must have my consent.”

A case that triggered deep hurt

Shwetha also recalled the period that left her feeling more vulnerable than ever. The comments that surfaced during the AMMA election and a related case affected her deeply, she said, primarily because of how it could impact her daughter.

“I become vulnerable when anything affects my family. During the AMMA election and the case that followed, my first and only concern was my daughter. She sees me as a tigress, as the most beautiful woman in the world. She believes I can handle anything. I didn’t want that image to crumble just because a man walked in and claimed that all the films I had done, even those cleared by the censor board, were porn films. I didn’t want that kind of news breaking and shattering her.” 

She described the emotional weight of the episode, “That broke me. It took three days – three full days – during which I cried continuously. It was the mother in me and the wife in me that cried. He could only hurt me at that one point. You may cut me, but I will grow back. If my father were alive, he would have killed that man.”

Background of the controversy

The controversy arose from a complaint filed by Martin Menachery of Thoppumpady, who alleged that the actor had appeared in nude and explicit scenes in films and advertisements for financial gain. Acting on the complaint, the Ernakulam Chief Judicial Magistrate Court instructed police to register a case, leading to an FIR booked under Section 67(A) of the Information Technology Act and provisions of the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act.

Shwetha later approached the Kerala High Court and obtained a stay against the CJM court’s directive, halting proceedings in the obscenity case.