"If You Don't Open The Door, I'll Urinate Here": Filmmaker Kunjila Mascillamani Recounts Distressing Bus Journey
Malayalam filmmaker Kunjila Mascillamani has spoken about a distressing experience during a bus journey from Chennai to Kochi, alleging that she was initially denied a stop despite suffering from a high fever and unbearable abdominal pain.
In a series of Instagram posts, the filmmaker described how she struggled to find a place to use the toilet while travelling and questioned the lack of basic consideration for women’s bodily needs in public spaces.
According to her account, Kunjila was travelling on a bus that departed at around 4.45 pm. By approximately 6.45 pm, she was reportedly running a fever of 102–103 degrees and experiencing severe abdominal pain.
She approached the bus driver and politely requested that the vehicle be stopped at the next petrol station so she could use the toilet.
However, she was reportedly told that the next stop would be Pondicherry, where they were expected to arrive around 8 pm.
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Explaining that she could not wait that long, Kunjila said she had repeatedly requested a stop, but her pleas were initially turned down.
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As the situation became increasingly unbearable, she told the bus staff that if they did not open the door, she would have to urinate right there.
When she began to urinate, the bus door was suddenly opened and struck her on the back.
She eventually had to walk for around ten minutes to reach a petrol station where the bus stopped. Describing the experience, she said the people at the petrol station directed her straight to the toilet.
She also expressed gratitude towards the petrol station staff for allowing her to use the facility without insisting that she purchase fuel.
Kunjila further alleged that the bus staff warned her that the tickets of her and people accompanying her would be cancelled.
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However, she said she refused to accept the threat and insisted that the matter should be taken seriously.
She also recounted that another male passenger later approached and said that he too needed to urinate. Questioning the difference in how their needs were treated, Kunjila asked whether his need to relieve himself was any different from hers and why her request had not been accommodated earlier.
Referring to the importance of accessible public toilets, she recalled a court ruling on the issue and said that people should not have to buy petrol or make a purchase to access a toilet in an emergency. She appreciated the staff for treating her with dignity and compassion.
The filmmaker further raised concerns about the normalisation of public urination and the exposure of women’s bodies to such situations.
Recounting another incident, she witnessed that morning at a bus stand in Chennai, she said she had seen a man’s genitals in public. Questioning how frequently women are expected to encounter such situations, she argued that public urination can also amount to an act of indecent exposure.
Kunjila said she contacted a police officer about the matter, following which Highway Police personnel were sent to the location.
She also said that the bus agency was contacted, and the driver was asked to provide an explanation. She maintained that she did not want the incident to be dismissed and wanted appropriate action to be taken so that other passengers would not face similar situations.
In the final part of her post, Kunjila questioned the broader attitude towards women’s access to basic sanitation facilities.
She pointed out that women have historically faced discrimination in workplaces because of the absence of toilets and because they demanded access to such facilities. She also suggested that the issue extends beyond Malayalam cinema and is relevant to the wider Indian film industry.
Kunjila Mascillamani is a Malayalam filmmaker and writer known for exploring women’s experiences, labour rights and social inequalities through her work.
She directed Asanghadithar, one of the five segments in Jeo Baby’s 2022 anthology Freedom Fight.
The film, featuring Srinda and activist P Viji, was based on the real-life struggle of women workers in Kozhikode’s SM Street for access to toilets at their workplaces.
She also worked as chief associate director on Kaathal – The Core (2023), starring Mammootty and Jyothika.
Her feature film project Guptam was selected for the Toronto International Film Festival’s Directors’ Lab in 2025. The project was also selected for the Asian Project Market at the Busan International Film Festival.
