'Even if they kill me…': Malayalam actress who accused Siddique and Riyaz Khan of sexual assault receives threats | Exclusive

Actors Siddique and Riyaz Khan are accused of sexual misconduct

Thiruvananthapuram: Experienced Malayalam actor Siddique ran into trouble after an actress made allegations of rape and sexual harassment and was forced to resign as general secretary of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA), a prominent actors' body in Kerala. After his resignation, the actress termed it a “big victory” and added, “I can see the change.”

The actress recently reiterated her allegations of sexual assault and rape, which she first made in a Facebook post in 2019. The alleged incident took place in a hotel in 2016. The allegations come in the backdrop of the release of the Hema Committee report, which shed light on the incidents of sexual abuse and harassment against women artistes and technicians in the Malayalam film industry.

Speaking to Times Now, the actress said that times were changing as women had started understanding abuse, adding that “understanding was more important than solidarity”.

“I consider this a victory. But it is high time he resigned. It is the women who started this fight and are standing up for each other. We have stood by each other and I can see the change. I know that times are changing. They are ready to learn. They have started to understand, observe and learn the different aspects of abuse. Understanding is more than solidarity. We can see this change and that has given us hope. There used to be massive attacks on the women. Just because we decided to speak, I heard a lot of abuse. That was the hardest phase in my life. That affected me a lot,” she said.

The actress added, “But today, nothing they do can affect me. I don't know if I should call it strength, but I'm past that phase. So whatever they do to defame me, I've reached a stage where it doesn't bother me anymore – neither mentally nor physically. There were different forms of attacks before, I don't want to go into detail and give them that space. But I know that this is just the beginning. They will continue to attack me because these abusers have a very strong bond with each other. They plan together how to take revenge. But that's totally fine with me because I really don't care.”

She also said she may take legal action against it because “I want that assurance and reassurance from the state.” She added that every time she raised the issue, she came away feeling hopeless.

“The system has made me doubt myself. I started doubting myself and blaming myself. Now it is their responsibility to make sure that we trust them. It is not about words but actions. So whatever they do, it depends on whether I should trust the system or not. If that validation is there, I may seek legal help in future, if not, I will definitely not do that. I really have no time to waste and my mental health is very important to me,” she told Times Now.

“Nobody from the system has reported”

The actress also said that no one from the government has reached out to her so far, adding that even strangers understand the seriousness of the situation.

When asked if anyone from the system had approached her, she said, “Only my friends and other people, but no one from the system. Even strangers who understand the seriousness of the situation have approached me. I am glad that they are standing up for me. As a survivor, I am relieved. It is a privilege to feel this. This never happened before, which in turn led to mental and physical problems. I paid a heavy price for this – my time, my dreams. So if there is a change now, I am really happy.”

'Riyaz Khan Threatened me'

The actress had also claimed to have had a disturbing experience with actor Riyaz Khan. According to the actress, Riyaz Khan called her and had an obscene conversation. When asked if she should expect any backlash after the allegations, the actress said that they might be planning something big against her but she is no longer scared.

“I have spoken about Riyaz Khan now. I have not faced any backlash… But they will definitely plan something big. It has already started. I know it has been started by the same person. I have noted down the names of 14 people. All of them are abusers. He tried to threaten me using the same method as last time. But it does not affect me anymore. I have come out of it. Even if they kill me, I really have nothing to lose,” she said.

The actress claimed that Riyaz Khan asked her if she was interested in an intimate physical relationship with him and then made unwanted advances towards her. She further claimed that Khan even asked her if she could introduce him to friends who might be willing to get involved with him.