Parvathy continues to defend her 2016 criticism of Mammootty-starrer Kasaba.
An old IFFK video resurfaces amid criticism surrounding Geetu’s Toxic.
Parvathy says Geetu’s creative choices should not be linked to hers.
The controversy surrounding Parvathy Thiruvothu's criticism of Kasaba has resurfaced nearly a decade after the actor called out the Mammootty-starrer at the International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK). An old video from the 2016 discussion has begun circulating again amid the backlash surrounding Geetu Mohandas’ Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups. Parvathy has now made it clear that she still stands by her criticism of Kasaba.
Parvathy stands by Kasaba criticism
Speaking to Manorama News, Parvathy was asked whether the controversy had affected her career. She said the setbacks no longer felt like losses and that she would make the same comments about the film even today.
“I have said this before. In hindsight, those losses aren't really losses. It revealed things and people that needed to be revealed. Even if you ask me today, I'll say the same about that movie. No matter what others say, the truth remains the truth,” she said.
Parvathy also pointed out that the Kerala Women's Commission had taken suo motu action against Kasaba before her comments at IFFK.
Why the old IFFK video is back
At the December 2016 forum, Parvathy criticised what she saw as the film’s misogynistic treatment of women, particularly its depiction of a female police officer. She initially hesitated to name the film, but Geetu, who was seated beside her, encouraged her to do so.
Parvathy later faced severe online abuse, including rape and death threats, over her remarks. Looking back, she said Geetu's presence had given her confidence to speak.
“Maybe I wouldn't have mentioned names as part of my internal censorship. But my sisterhood emboldened me. They've also stayed with me since then. They've never abandoned me," she said.
Parvathy separates Geetu from Kasaba debate
The video has resurfaced because Toxic itself has faced criticism over its portrayal of women and sexual imagery. However, Parvathy rejected attempts to connect her Kasaba criticism with Geetu's filmmaking choices.
"What I said was my perspective. Geetu hasn't endorsed it. She can make any movie she wants," she said.
Parvathy added that sitting beside her did not mean Geetu shared her views. She also objected to framing their friendship through the idea that women must automatically agree with each other, calling that an "age-old patriarchal trope”.
The Kasaba controversy had already drawn the Women's Commission's attention in July 2016, before Parvathy's remarks at IFFK intensified the debate.
