Navya Nair gets slammed for statement on Muthukulam, Cheppad

Actress Navya Nair, who was last seen in the Malayalam film 'Janaki Jaane' directed by Aniesh Upaasana, has courted controversy for her comments about her native place in Alappuzha. A video of the actress speaking about Muthukulam and Cheppad in Alappuzha in a 'negative light' during the promotion of her film, has now gone viral.

The actress was recalling how actor Dileep who worked with her in films like 'Ishtam', jestingly asked her if there was power supply in their land during his visit there. “I hail from a small town called Cheppad. I currently reside in a nearby place Muthukulam, which are all close to each other. One day, when Dileep visited my hometown, he asked me if we there was power supply there, since our villages are surrounded by lush paddy fields and lakes. We have plenty of lakes and places named Kayamkulam, Muthukulam. There's water everywhere,” she said jestingly while also alluding to widespread liquor consumption. (Vellam, which means water, also denote liquor in local parlance.)

The comment did not sit well with residents of Muthukulam or Cheppad, with many stating that she was insulting the memory and land known for literary and artistic giants like Raghavan Pillai and Padmarajan.