‘Bro Daddy’ Assistant Director Accused Of Rape, Blackmail By Junior Artist
The Hyderabad Police booked Mansoor Rasheed, assistant director of Prithviraj’s directorial Bro Daddy, after a junior artist filed a sexual assault complaint against him. The woman claimed that Rasheed also blackmailed her after filming her nude.
The complaint has been handed over to the Special Investigation Team (SIT) formed by the Kerala government to investigate the many sexual assault allegations raised within the Malayalam film industry since the release of the Hema Committee report.
Read Also: Hema Committee Report: Information Commissioner Dr AA Abdul Hakim In Spotlight
Reportedly, the incident took place on August 8, 2021, in the city. While offering her a chance to feature in some scenes in the film, Rasheed took her to a room in the same hotel the film crew was staying in. As per the complaint, Rasheed raped her after giving her an intoxicating drink and later filmed her nude.
The next morning, he collected money from her several times after blackmailing her with the photo.
The junior artist filed the complaint at Hyderabad’s Gachibowli police station. She also alleged that Rasheed fled from the police when they came to arrest him at his house in Kadakkal, Kollam, with the help of his friends from politics.
The junior artist claimed that despite being accused of rape charges, Rasheed continued to work in films with prominent figures. She also alleged that the Chief Minister and Cultural Affairs Minister ignored her complaint against the director.
Read Also: Hema Committee Report Exposes Malayalam Film Industry Abuses: 10 Points
The Kerala government released the highly anticipated Hema Committee Report on August 19 redacting some portions. The report, although only partially released to protect the privacy of individuals, paints a grim picture of the industry’s treatment of its most marginalised workers.
Following the report’s release, a series of sexual assault allegations have been raised against prominent figures within the Malayalam industry.
