‘Did he even pause to think?’: Bhagyalakshmi slams Mohanlal over Dileep film poster, calls verdict a blow to survivors

Dubai: Malayalam dubbing artist and women’s rights activist Bhagyalakshmi has strongly criticised superstar Mohanlal for appearing in and sharing the poster of actor Dileep’s upcoming film Bha Bha Bha, calling the move “insensitive” and “thoughtless” in the wake of the Kerala actor assault case verdict.

Speaking at the venue of the International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK), Bhagyalakshmi questioned Mohanlal’s public endorsement of a project headlined by Dileep, who was recently acquitted of conspiracy charges in the 2017 sexual assault case involving a leading Malayalam actress.

“Did Mohanlal even pause for a moment before sharing that poster?” she asked. “When someone with that kind of influence does this, what message is being sent to survivors?" she told local reporters.

Bhagyalakshmi said such gestures normalise indifference at a time when the industry should be reflecting on accountability and empathy.

“This is not about cinema alone anymore. This is about ethics. It is about what we choose to endorse publicly,” she said.

The verdict, which acquitted Dileep—the eighth accused—while sentencing six others to 20 years in prison, has sparked widespread outrage across Kerala. The case, which surfaced in 2017, involved the abduction and sexual assault of a prominent actress in a moving vehicle and exposed deep fault lines within the Malayalam film industry.

“There is no way a woman can celebrate this verdict,” Bhagyalakshmi said in an exclusive interview with Gulf News.

“What we witnessed was the glorification of power and hooliganism. Villainism is now being passed off as heroism.”

Known for her outspoken advocacy for women within the film industry, Bhagyalakshmi recently resigned from her position in the Federation of Film Employees’ Kerala Association (FEFKA), citing the organisation’s silence following the verdict. Her resignation triggered intense debate within the film fraternity.

“I could not continue in a body that refuses to take a principled stand,” she said. “Silence in moments like these is not neutrality—it is complicity.”

Bhagyalakshmi has been closely involved in supporting the survivor throughout the trial, which stretched over eight years. She described the legal process as deeply traumatising and lacking empathy.

“This ordeal did not begin with the judgment. It began eight years ago,” she said.

“The survivor went through relentless scrutiny—emotionally, psychologically, and publicly. The system was not designed to protect her.”

She recalled how the survivor struggled after each court hearing. “She would break down. She needed constant reassurance. What she faced in court was dehumanising, even more than the crime itself.”

Bhagyalakshmi also criticised the handling of sensitive evidence during the trial, including reports that visuals of the assault were shown to multiple individuals. “That alone tells you how casually a survivor’s dignity can be violated within the system,” she said.

She described Dileep’s public conduct after his acquittal as deeply disturbing.

“He appeared jubilant, addressing the media and attacking his former wife, Manju Warrier, who had supported the investigation. That behaviour was shocking.”

On the broader treatment of survivors, Bhagyalakshmi said women are constantly put on trial in sexual assault cases. “People question how she smiles, how she dresses, whether she looks ‘happy’. Survivors are expected to perform grief to be believed, while the accused escape similar scrutiny.”

She also pointed to the role of money and influence in shaping the outcome of the case. “This could have been a historic moment. Instead, it exposed how power operates. Witnesses turned hostile. Influence protected the accused. Apart from a few younger actors, the industry largely stayed silent.”

Despite the backlash and personal threats, Bhagyalakshmi said she would not step back. “I didn’t enter this fight lightly. My children know I will continue to stand on the right side, no matter the cost.”

Reflecting on the larger implications, she said the fight extends far beyond one case. “This is about every woman who has faced violence and been silenced. Society must stop celebrating power and start standing with survivors. Accountability cannot depend on fame.”