The men in the Malayalam film industry are currently paying the price for their decades-long tyranny wherein they used their unchecked power to exploit and harass those less powerful than them — especially women. Following the release of the Justice Hema Committee report, numerous survivors have come forward to accuse various male figures in the industry of sexual misconduct. Actor and CPI(M) MLA Mukesh is among those facing serious allegations, with accusations of sexual abuse from a woman professional.
While calls for Mukesh’s resignation are intensifying, with opposition parties also joining the chorus, the statements made years ago by Mukesh’s first wife, veteran actor Saritha, have gained widespread attention. She had then disclosed that Mukesh had emotionally and physically abused her during their time together.
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Saritha shared her distress with the media nearly a decade ago, around the time Mukesh remarried dancer Methil Devika. She revealed her shock and shame at her experiences, contrasting them with the portrayals she had seen in films. “I was ashamed to tell what I had experienced… I could not believe what was happening to me. I have acted in movies… I have seen all this in movies… But I never thought that all that would happen in my life,” she revealed, Manorama Online reported.
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Saritha explained that Mukesh’s affairs were a major reason behind their separation, adding that there were many instances of domestic violence during their marriage. “I was hesitant to speak out. When some people from the media came to know about what I was going through and reached out, I denied everything. To show others that all was well, we clicked pictures pretending to be happy on the occasion of Onam and similar instances. Amid all these familial issues, he maintained affairs with many. I just hoped that he would realise his mistake and come back,” she said.
“After my father’s death, I started seeing Mukesh’s father as my own. He was given an assurance by me. That is why I made no complaint to the police. I kept that assurance until his death. After Mukesh attacked me in front of his maids, I stopped going to his house. Once when his father came to Thiruvananthapuram for tax matters, he came to pick me up. At the airport, father told me ‘Let’s go home’. I said I was not coming and that I had taken a room in Pankaj Hotel. He did not utter a word in front of the driver and then came to my room. He then held my hands and said he knew what I was going through and that he knew his son was wrong. He, however, requested to ensure this doesn’t come up in the media. I kept that promise till today. I am breaking this today because my silence was misunderstood. No one knew what had happened,” added Saritha. Mukesh’s father O Madhavan was a theatre director and actor and one of the founding members of the Communist Party of India (CPI) in Kerala. His mother Vijayakumari was a stage, television and film actor.
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“When I was pregnant, he kicked me in the stomach and I fell into the yard. I cried… In such situations, he would say, ‘Oh.. you are a good actress… go on, cry.’ He always found something to hurt me… Once, when I was nine months pregnant, we went out for dinner together. While returning, when I tried to get into the car, he kept tricking me by taking the car forward and backwards. When I ran behind the car, I fell down and sat there crying. But I tried not to let him see those tears since he would laugh,” she said, adding “Once, when he returned drunk at midnight, I casually asked why he was late. He pulled me by the hair, dragged me through the floor and beat me,” she added.
“He beats me up in front of his father”
Here is an 8-year old video where Mukesh’s ex-wife and actor Saritha speaks about his brutal abuse.
And yet, he contested and won on CPI(M) ticket in 2016 & 2021 and is now a sitting MLA.
Such is the extend of misogyny in society. pic.twitter.com/VLfjVxyDRS
— Siddharth (@DearthOfSid) August 25, 2024
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During a chat with Manorama News in 2023, Mukesh, however, said he harboured no grudge against Saritha and Devika, whom he divorced in 2021, and had never spoken ill of them. “Until now, I have refrained from speaking negatively about them. Typically, when a couple appears before the family court, the husband and wife almost always blame each other, a common scenario in nearly 100% of cases. It is natural. Not once have I made any derogatory remarks about them,” he claimed.
“I faced a lot of pressure to say something… I genuinely appreciate both women because making such a decision and being content with it is commendable. Instead of desperately holding on and trying to harm me, there was none of that. If you don’t allow your wife, close friend, or even children the freedom to make such decisions, what would happen to their lives? Even to my children, I’ve only advised them never to hurt their mother under any circ*mstance.” he added.
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Saritha and Mukesh tied the knot in 1988 and share two sons. Following a prolonged separation, their divorce was finalised in 2011, after which Mukesh married Devika in 2013. He has been representing the Kollam constituency in Kerala Assembly since 2016. He won both the 2016 and 2021 elections with tickets from the Communist Party of India (Marxist), the largest party in the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) alliance.
