Actress Sonia Malhar recently shared a distressing experience from her early days in the film industry. In 2013, while she was new to acting, she encountered harassment from a young actor. Sonia recounted that the actor abruptly grabbed her while she was returning from the restroom at a shoot in Thodupuzha. The opportunity to work on this shoot came through the production controller and was held in a place that resembled a godown.
Sonia described feeling terrified and breaking down in tears due to the actor’s sudden behaviour. When she cried, the actor apologised. Upon questioning his actions, the actor explained that he liked her nature and that his behavior seemed appropriate at the time. He also mentioned that he liked her outfit—a black T-shirt and blue jeans. After completing the three to four-day shoot, Sonia returned home, but the emotional distress lingered.
Upon discussing the incident with her husband, Sonia was advised not to continue acting. When asked if it was a significant issue, Sonia replied that people like her would struggle to advocate for themselves within the
film industry. Eventually, family responsibilities led her back to cinema. Following the release of the Hema Committee report, Sonia noticed some reactions denying the report’s findings. She clarified that she is sharing her past experience now to dispel misconceptions and clarify that the situation was not as some responses might have suggested.
