Malayalam actor Minu Muneer has accused well-known actors M Mukesh and Jayasurya of sexual harassment, following disturbing revelations about abuse in the South Indian film industry. These allegations emerge after the Justice K Hema Committee's troubling findings on harassment and exploitation of women in Malayalam cinema. Minu Muneer detailed her experiences on Facebook, naming Mukesh, Maniyanpilla Raju, Idavela Babu, and Jayasurya as individuals who physically and verbally abused her during the filming of a 2013 movie. In an interview with NDTV, she described a particularly distressing event where Jayasurya allegedly hugged her from behind and kissed her without consent after she had used the restroom. She was shocked and fled the scene. He reportedly later offered her more work in exchange for agreeing to be with him.
Minu also claimed that Idavela Babu, who serves as the secretary of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA), invited her to his apartment under the guise of discussing a membership application, only to abuse her physically. Additionally, she alleged that Mukesh, who is also a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for the ruling CPI(M), denied her membership after she rebuffed his advances.Expressing her frustration over the exploitation she faced in the Malayalam film industry, Minu Muneer revealed that no one reached out to her when she moved to Chennai after the abuse became unbearable. She was forced to leave the Malayalam film industry due to the persistent harassment and later faced accusations of not making the "adjustments" expected of her when she spoke out.
In her Facebook post, Minu recounted the physical and verbal abuse she endured in 2013 and her subsequent decision to relocate to Chennai. She has sought justice and accountability for her suffering and is asking for assistance in holding those responsible accountable. Actor Maniyanpilla Raju, one of the accused, has called for an investigation, suggesting that there may be ulterior motives behind the allegations and that a thorough probe is needed to clear the innocent and identify the guilty.In response to the growing pressure, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan convened a high-level meeting with senior police officials and announced the formation of a seven-member special team to investigate the reported abuses faced by women actors in the industry.