Kamal Haasan addresses abused Malayalam actress by name, justifies it

Mumbai: Tamil cinema superstar Kamal Haasan, recently, in a press conference, revealed the name of the Malayalam actress who was abducted and sexually assaulted in February, adding there is nothing wrong in letting the world know the victim's name.

"Why is it the safety of women in the film industry alone? A female's presence in the crowd is important to me and I will not let anything happen to her. It's our duty to see if you are safe. It is not just about actresses. We are not supporting her (mentions the name), because she is an actress," Haasan said.

On being pointed out that he shouldn't be naming her, he said, "It doesn't matter if I have used the name. The media itself have used her name. Do not hide the name as there is nothing wrong with it. If you want to call her Draupadi, call her that. Don't refer to her as 'a female'," he asserted.

Haasan was addressing the media regarding a complaint raised by a fringe Hindu Group over the ongoing Tamil reality TV show, 'Bigg Boss,' which he hosts.

Security has been enhanced outside the residence of the actor-director, though it's not sure if it's a result of his comments.

The popular Malayalam actress, who has worked in Tamil and Telugu films, was abducted and allegedly molested inside her car for two hours by the accused, who had forced their way into the vehicle on February 17 and later escaped in a busy area here.