They say nothing is permanent in the world of cinema. It takes just a comment by an actor or a director to spark a controversy or to turn his/her friends into foes and vice versa. With social media narrowing the gap between stars and their fans, probability of the viewers getting to every update in the lives of these stars has increased. The recent incident of actor Manju Warrier filing a police complaint against Shrikumar Menon, director of her movie Odiyan, and the events that followed have been doing the rounds on every print and online media. The reasons cited by the actor and her association with ad-film maker-turned-director Shrikumar, which does not confine to Odiyan, have raised many questions against the complaint among the fans of Manju. The actor had made a reentry after a sabbatical and her divorce with actor Dileep with
ad-films that were directed by Shrikumar.
In her written complaint, which Manju handed over to State Police Chief Loknath Behra in person, she has accused Shrikumar of threatening and defaming her. The actor in her complaint has mentioned that she has been subjected to cyber attacks and the director, along with his friend Mathew Samuel, has been purposefully posting defamatory comments and memes since the release of Odiyan with the motive to tarnish her image in public. According to the complaint, the actor was verbally abused on the sets of the movie, which caused her immense mental distress and though she has braved those harsh conditions, she fears that the director posed a grave threat to her life, public image and financial security. Manju has also alleged that Shrikumar has been misusing the letterhead of her foundation — Manju Warrier Foundation — and blank cheques signed by her. If the reports are to be believed, the actor had associated with PUSH, a firm owned by Shrikumar to undertake philanthropy activities, but the agreement was discontinued following various differences of opinions.
The DGP office confirmed that Kerala police will initiate a probe with an officer not less than the rank of an IG heading the case.
