Malayalam movie star Dileep's first release after a trial court in Kerala acquitted him has sparked fresh controversy.
The film Bha Bha Ba, which released on December 18, has several scenes of what viewers describe as an insensitive reference to the real life criminal case in which he was accused.
Mohanlal puts in a cameo appearance in the film.
In the disputed scene, a character refers to a woman being kidnapped, followed by an attempt at humour.
A dialogue says, 'Annan (the Malayalam word for elder brother) kidnapped her and milked her.'
It was followed by the line, 'Relax bro, she is a cow.'
The line is accompanied by visuals, which reportedly show Dileep's character arriving in a vehicle and abducting a woman.
Social media hs been flooded with criticism, with many users saying the scene trivialises a serious crime and reflects poor judgement.
A user wrote that the scene 'adds insult to injury' and questioned how such content was approved by the censors, stating that everyone involved in the film should be held accountable.
The user also demanded an apology from the makers.
Another netizen wrote the intent of the scene was 'impossible to ignore' and added that if it was meant to hint at a real-world case linked to the actor, it could not be described as satire and was a deeply uncomfortable watch.
On December 8, a trial court in Kerala acquitted Dileep of charges related to criminal conspiracy, while convicting six other accused.
The case dates back to February 2017, when an actress was abducted and assaulted in a moving car.
The incident sent shockwaves through the Malayalam film industry and led to wider discussions on women's safety and power dynamics within cinema.
After the verdict two weeks ago, the survivor shared a statement on social media expressing her distress and disappointment with the legal outcome. She spoke about the emotional toll of pursuing justice and the difficulties faced by survivors who report crimes.
Netizens now state that Bha Bha Ba, and the inclusion of the controversial scene, has reopened old wounds and revived a debate over ethical limits in filmmaking.
So far, neither Dileep nor the film's makers have issued a response to the criticism.
Photographs curated by Satish Bodas/Rediff
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