Why Dileep was dropped from Kerala temple festival event after assault case acquittal

Dubai: A day after a screening of a film starring Malayalam actor Dileep was halted mid-way aboard a KSRTC public bus following protests by a woman passenger, the actor has been dropped from a public religious event in Kochi amid mounting backlash after his acquittal in the high-profile Kerala actor assault case.

Dileep was originally slated to inaugurate the distribution of festival coupons ahead of the annual celebrations at the Ernakulam Siva Temple on Tuesday. However, the decision was revoked after objections were raised within the temple’s advisory committee, reflecting the growing public unease around associating the actor with prominent public platforms following the court verdict.

Notices announcing the event—already printed with Dileep’s name—were withdrawn after internal discussions intensified, particularly in the wake of social media posts by the survivor in the 2017 actor assault case expressing her anguish over what she described as a denial of justice. Actor Manju Warrier, Dileep’s former wife, also publicly declared solidarity with the survivor, adding to the wider public scrutiny.

Following the reversal, the inauguration has now been postponed to Wednesday, marking the official start of the temple festival. The event will be held without any celebrity presence, with the temple’s head priest (thanthri) set to formally launch the coupon distribution.

Temple authorities said the initial decision to invite Dileep was taken by a section of the temple’s advisory committee without broader consultation. “Dileep is a regular visitor to the temple, and during one such visit, a member of the advisory committee approached him about the event. He expressed willingness to attend,” a temple official said.

However, the verdict in the actor assault case led to sharp differences of opinion within the committee. With the issue escalating, the president of the Cochin Devaswom Board intervened, prompting the temple to withdraw the invitation in order to avoid further controversy.

The development comes amid a series of flashpoints across Kerala following Dileep’s acquittal, underlining the deep divisions and unresolved anger surrounding the case, even as the legal chapter draws to a close.