Film Director and Aide Charged with Rape of Assistant Director in Kerala

In Kerala, film director Suresh Thiruvalla and his aide Vijith Vijayakumar were charged with raping an assistant director. The woman alleges Suresh coerced her with promises of acting roles and marriage. The case is part of a wider investigation into sexual abuse in the Malayalam film industry.

A Malayalam film director and his aide have been booked for allegedly raping a woman who works as an assistant film director. The Maradu police in Kerala have identified the accused as Suresh Thiruvalla, the director, and his aide, Vijith Vijayakumar.

According to the complaint, Suresh raped the woman under the pretext of offering her acting roles and promising to marry her. The complaint also alleges that Vijayakumar sexually assaulted her. Suresh has directed films such as Orma and Naleykay.

An officer at the Maradu police station stated that although the First Information Report (FIR) was registered there, the case will eventually be investigated by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) focusing on multiple sexual abuse complaints against prominent figures in the Malayalam film industry.

The allegations against Suresh and Vijayakumar come amid a broader crackdown on sexual abuse in the industry, highlighted by the 2017 Justice Hema Committee report. This report revealed systemic sexual abuse against women in the film industry, detailing how female professionals were often coerced into sexual favors for opportunities and faced threats of bans for speaking out.

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Following the release of the report, several women actors came forward with allegations against notable personalities in Malayalam cinema, prompting the Kerala government to establish an SIT. This resulted in the resignation of high-profile figures, including actor Mohanlal and others, from their positions within the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA).