Padmapriya recounts abuse on Mirugam set, slams Tamil film industry's silence
As the #MeToo movement gains momentum in the Malayalam film industry, actress Padmapriya has shared a personal story of abuse from her time on the sets of Mirugam.
Updated : October 02, 2024 01:34 PM ISTAs the #MeToo movement gains momentum in the Malayalam film industry, actress Padmapriya has shared a personal story of abuse from her time on the sets of Mirugam.
Mirugam poster
Amid the resurgence of the #MeToo movement in the Malayalam film industry, actress Padmapriya has opened up about her own experiences of harassment. She recalled an incident where she was slapped by Tamil director Samy on the last day of shooting for the 2007 movie Mirugam, which is Tamil for Animal.
Mirugam revolved around toxic masculinity and the toll it can take when pushed to the extremes. Padmapriya portrayed a woman who challenged the dominant ways of the protagonist, played by Aadhi Pinisetty. She recounted that director Samy slapped her, claiming she wasn’t emoting her character correctly. “For a long time, I thought I was the issue,” Padmapriya said, according to Manorama News.
Despite the incident, Samy won the Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Mirugam, while Padmapriya's complaints to the Tamil Nadu film bodies went unheard. She also noted that some media reports at the time falsely claimed that she was the one who slapped the director. “When a woman talks about issues, she becomes the issue,” she added.
Padmapriya further criticized the lack of strong roles for women in Indian cinema. She pointed out that characters with agency—such as executives, military officers, lawyers, and gangsters—are predominantly male, while women are often portrayed as beautiful young girls, heartbroken lovers, or dancers.
Her comments come as the Malayalam film industry grapples with the findings of the Hema Committee report, which exposed the hostile working conditions for women. The revelations have prompted many women to come forward, demanding changes to create a fairer, gender-equal workspace.
The Hema Committee report is celebrated as a historic moment in the history of Indian cinema. Since the report was made public by the Kerala government, there have been demands for such inquiry across the Indian film industry.