Actor Rima Kallingal filed a defamation suit against Tamil singer Suchitra for her remarks against Rima and Aashiq Abu in a YouTube channel interview accusing the actor of hosting rave parties where drugs were also available.
"Although these wild theories did not make it into the mainstream news, her baseless statement about me based on a news article she read about my arrest gained traction. Let me make it clear that such an event never occurred. I have decided to take action.,” Rima Kallingal stated on a social media post on Tuesday.
“I have filed a complaint with the Special Investigation Team and sent a defamation notice," the post further read.
Rima, who is also a founding member of the Women in Cinema Collective (WCC), has also criticised the singer for naming and shaming the survivor in the interview.
"In the 30-minute interview, she not only names and shames the survivor of the 2017 sexual assault, claiming the survivor knew it was coming but also alleges that CM Pinarayi, Mohanlal, and Mammootty conspired through the Hema Committee to sabotage the careers of actors like Fahadh. We all know why the Hema committee was formed, and anyone suggesting otherwise should be questioned," she wrote.
Tamil singer Suchitra had made accusations against Rima and her husband, filmmaker Aashiq Abu, in an interview with SS Buzz. Suchitra accused the actress and her husband of hosting parties regularly at her residence where drugs were used commonly. She also alleged that many young women were also introduced to drugs at these parties.
The singer further said that the parties played a significant role in the decline of the actress’s career. Suchitra stated that she learnt about these allegations from different news articles and that many Malayalam singers who attended these parties confirmed her claims.
However, no official verification has been done for the allegations.
AIYF stands in support of director Aashiq Abu
In a statement of support, the All India Youth Federation (AIYF) has declared its backing for director Aashiq Abu amidst what they describe as ‘planned attacks’ against him.
AIYF has come out in support of the filmmaker following the comments Suchitra made against him and his wife.
AIYF's state executive has condemned the targeted campaigns being carried out on social media and other platforms by certain groups, aimed at discrediting Aashiq Abu, who has been an outspoken advocate for issues such as women's safety and labour exploitation within the film industry.
“We will not allow attacks to be orchestrated against Director Aashiq Abu,” stated AIYF.
They criticised the ongoing campaigns as planned and intentional efforts to silence Aashiq, who has been vocal about the truth regarding several issues in the Malayalam film industry and the broader cultural sector.
AIYF leaders, including state president N Arun and secretary T T Jismon, have announced that they will take legal action against the communal and provocative false propaganda being spread against Aashiq Abu.
The filmmaker had expressed strong disagreement and protest against the delayed response of the Hema Committee report. Following his criticism he had quit his membership of the Film Employees Federation of Kerala.
