Khushbu Sundar 'Shaken' Amid Sexual Assault Claims In Malayalam Film Industry: 'I Was Abused At The Hands...'

Actor-turned-politician and BJP leader Khushbu Sundar has opened up on the sexual assault allegations that are rocking the Malayalam Film Industry in the wake of Justice Hema Committee Report. Taking to X, she wrote a long note, saluting the women who are fighting. She also wrote that sexual harassment and pressure to compromise for career advancement happen in every field. But why should women face this alone, she rued, in her post.

Opening up on a long conversation she had with her daughters – 24 and 21 – on the issue, she said that she was amazed at their empathy and understanding towards the victims. “They firmly support them and stand with them at this juncture. It doesn’t matter whether you speak today or tomorrow, just speak. Speaking up immediately would help in healing and investigating more effectively. The fear of being shamed, victim blaming, and questions like “Why did you do it?” or “What made you do it?” break her. The victim might be a stranger to you or me, but she needs our support, an ear to listen, and emotional backing from us all. When questioning why she didn’t come out earlier, we need to consider her circumstances – not everyone is privileged to speak out,” she wrote.

She went on to add that as a woman and a mother, such violence cuts deep, hurting both body and soul. “These acts of brutality shake the foundations of our trust, our love, and our strength. Behind every mother, there’s a will to nurture and protect, and when that sanctity is shattered, it affects us all.”

She also opened up about her father who abused her at the age of 8. “Some ask me what took me so long to speak about my father’s abuse. I agree I should have spoken earlier. But what happened to me, was not a compromise to build my career. I was abused at the hands of the person who was suppose to provide me the strongest arms to hold me if I fell,” she wrote in the emotional post.

The Hema Committee report highlights issues like sexual harassment, lack of basic facilities, gender bias, and pay disparities in the Malayalam film industry. Meanwhile, megastar Mohanlal has resigned as the president of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) in the wake of multiple sexual assault stories that victims have come forward to narrate.