Malayalam superstar Mohanlal has courted controversy with his comment on the ongoing #MeToo movement. Netizens have condemned the Odiyan star saying that his remark was insensitive.
Mohanlal was addressing a press conference to promote an upcoming charity fund-raiser show called Onnanu Namal [We Are One] on Monday when spoke about the #MeToo movement and made a series of shocking and insensitive comments. He said that the movement is a fashion and a fad and will only last for a few days.
"Everyone knows everything that has happened. There is not much problem right now in the Malayalam film industry. Just don't say things and create problems. You cannot believe that #MeToo is a movement. It is a fad, it is changing into a fashion. Anything new, it will be alive for a few days. It can happen everywhere, not only in films, everywhere," Mohanlal was spotted saying at the press conference.
However, Mohanlal's comments on #MeToo movement did not go down well with many especially women, who took to Twitter to blast him. They said that the man of his stature should not make such remarks and his words make it clear that he is not about the movement. Here are some of their comments.
Sandhya Menon @TheRestlessQuil
Highly irresponsible and hypocritica of @Mohanlal to call the #metoo movement a trend. And he can't comment on it because he doesn't know? Aamir Khan has set a nice template for these people follow.
Shruti Seth @SethShruti
#metoo is a FAD???? Yes women allow themselves to be preyed upon by entitled, misogynistic predators to be fashionable and in the news. We're so hard up for fame, aren't we?
Anuradha Sridhar @anuradhasridhar
Have watched his fabulous 'Bharatham' with my grandmother. Mohanlal is not a loose talker. And if he hasn't been harassed, it shows male privilege. Let the women speak. He can stay silent. #MeToo
Dr Roshan R @pythoroshan
Mohanlal calls #MeToo a fad. I have grown up loving him as an actor but have always been disappointed by the man himself in real life, especially in recent times when it has come to using his powerful position to take a stand for women.
Anuradha Thota @Anuradha_Thota
That's what Mohanlal was saying, may be? People above certain age are not able to understand #MeToo phenomenon. All of them. Please pardon the childhood idols. Mohanlal cannot be septic tank.
YellowGlassDragon @karishmau
Considering Mohanlal's off-screen reputation, it is not surprising that he is trying to belittle the #Metoo movement. This is just another man rattled by the idea that his behaviour could have consequences.
Scorpion on ShivLing @Sa_Beeee
#Mohanlal made a series of still more absurd statements, with the confidence and utter obliviousness to irony that a certain kind of man can pull off effortlessly. #MeToo #MeTooIndia #AMMA #MalayalamMovies #ActressAttack #Dileep #RapeApologists
Manoj Kumar @ImMKR
Why, I mean WHY? All my favourite actors seems to have a very troubling and deeply problematic views on #MeToo Movemenet. It's so disorienting. #Mohanlal
Ramachandran @ramumuscat
With all respect, how can @Mohanlal be so sure about the whole industry? There have already been some disturbing stories in the ousted Ladies Wing meeting the other day
