She Is Beyond Your Imagination

I know that girl since her alpha days in the Malayalam film industry. I know her parents. Know her family. If it wasn’t her, I am sure, no other girl would have escaped from the clutches of the four-five men because she has always faced life with boldness.

When her father died early in life, she said, “If I break down, my mother will collapse. So I have to be strong.” When one of her colleagues was going through tumultuous marital separation, and close friends balked at offering her a shoulder, it was she who dared to offer an emotional prop. And because of her empathy she forfeited many a film chance. Later, she said the loss of chances had not pained her.

The news of brutal assault on her was shocking. It felt as if one of my family members was attacked. I felt as if millions of needles have crashed on me. What pained more was the pointed and risqué questions some people hurled at her. And there was one set of people who bested the criminals who violated her and filmed her – people who unleashed prurient remarks and libidinous questions on social media.

Wasn’t there something between her and (the accused) Pulsar Sunil?

Otherwise, why would she allow them to get into her car?

Why did she travel alone at night?

The police will arrest the criminals who assaulted her physically. But, what about those who tortured her with their words? They are the bigger evils. They will continue to torment others in future. These questions came from those who could never be expected to so devious. You wouldn’t have asked these questions if you had met her at least once.

Beginning her career in Malayalam, she had risen to become one of the highest paid actresses in the South.  Nonetheless, her house is as big as that of a government gazetted officer. And in life, even more modest. I have never seen her mother cash in on the daughter’s celebrity or strut pompously in public functions. Instead, the mother always introduced herself as the wife of the deceased photographer.

The girl has a big collection of books and films. She would always talk about them with pride and excitement. She is a girl who finds pleasure in spending time in book stores in cities and airports rather than beauty parlours. Her standard of conduct is much above what you can imagine. How many actors in the Malayalam film industry had the guts to speak publicly about their relationships?

She must have acquired the nerve to travel alone from Thrissur to Ernakulam at least 15 years ago. She didn’t cultivate the bravado by being part of any women’s movement. She gained it by the strength of her own attitude and self-confidence. She is not one of those who would ping a writer or a director in the witching hours for an opportunity. She is one of those who believe that her achievements should flow from her talent and strength. She demonstrated the same fortitude even when her parents did not have a deep pocket in the early days.

It’s amazing to see the lily-livered raise fingers against the girl who fought four hours against the two goons who sat on each side of her in the car on that deadly night. We must salute her boldness. They had to leave her after they failed to get what they wanted from her even after torturing her for hours. Do they needed an hour to take nude pics of a helpless lonely girl?

She survived because she is a brave heart. It takes great courage to report the incident to the police and come on record. She is beyond your imagination. And she deserves a salute

(This article is translated from a column  written by Unni K. Warrier for Malayala Manorama and republished with the consent of the author. It was first published on manoramaonline.com)