Soniya Malhar urges social media not to drag Jayasurya's name in her 'Me Too' statement
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Actor Soniya Malhar, who recently opened up about a sexual abuse incident she faced on the sets of a film, urged people not to drag Jayasurya's name in the incident. She said it pained her to see people dragging Jayasurya and Dulquer Salmaan's name in the issue. “I want people who are involved in such cases to be brought to book. However, I don't want to expose anyone's names now. It is sad to see people linking the incident that I mentioned with Jayasurya and Dulquer Salmaan. I will reveal the names of the abusers if a responsible authority asks me to. Till then, I don't want people to create assumptions,” she said.
She added that she is not afraid of speaking the truth. “It is the right time to speak about the abuses we faced. However, actors should not make allegations to take personal revenge after having consensual sex. However, the ones who have taken advantage of others should be punished,” she said.
Recently, the actor spoke of the harassment she encountered 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.