Dubai-based Kerala actress files complaint about lewd videos

A Dubai-based South Indian film actress, who shot into prominence recently after playing a leading role with Kamal Hassan in the movie ‘Paapanasham’, has approached Kerala Police and the state’s cyber cell to track down those circulating pornographic content about her through social media.
 
Asha Sarath, who has been living in the UAE for nearly 20 years, rose to stardom through a number of roles in prime time serials, movies and stage performances. On Friday, she filed a complaint with Eranakulam District Police Chief K G James, drawing his attention to circulation of indecent images of her through social networking sites and mobile applications.
 
Her latest hit movie ‘Paapanasham’ is a Tamil remake of ‘Drishyam’, a Malayalam movie featuring her with superstar Mohan Lal. The movie centres on an ordinary family’s predicament after a man tries to molest a teenage girl of the family and then intimidate her after making indecent video clips about her.
 
‘Drishyam’ caused a sensation in Kerala, where cybercrime and misuse of social media have been on the rise, with the latest case being the recent mysterious death of three school girls, whose dead bodies were found on a railway track a few days after they went missing from school.
 
 A dancer and RJ turned actress, Asha played the role of a bold female police officer named Geetha Prabhakar in ‘Drishyam’.  She played the same role in the Kannada remake of ‘Drishyam’ (opposite Prabhu Ganesan) and plays the role of a tough IPS officer in its Tamil remake ‘Paapanasham’. The movie is now released in Bollywood with the same title.
 
“I am a family woman, a teacher and an artist. This is an attempt to malign me,” Asha said, urging police to initiate action against those behind the indecent video clips about her. The police commissioner has reportedly forwarded the complaint to the cyber cell. Asha said she has handed to police details of a fake Facebook account in her name, fake news reports and the images being circulated through WhatsApp. The images show her in intimate postures with a film producer.
 
Asha manages Kairali Kalakendram, a dance and arts centre in Dubai.
 
“I got information about this video two days ago and felt very bad because I am a mother of two daughters and I have been leading a decent life in Dubai for two decades,” Asha told Indian media. “No other woman should have such an experience. Why should someone spread such fake videos through social media?,” she said.
 
In a Facebook post, Asha said, “Thank you very much for your support to me at this time of crisis. I'm thankful to you all. I was shocked to see the pictures posted on social networks by some anti-social elements. I am determined that those behind this mischief should be brought to justice. I am grateful to the authorities for initiating prompt action on my complaint,” she added.
 
“As I believe that such offences against women should not go unpunished, I am committed to fight this case till it is legally remedied,” Asha’s FB post said, adding that “we all should join hands to ensure that women are respected and not humiliated.”

Follow Emirates 24|7 on Google News.