It happened earlier in the South when Malayalam star Dileep was accused of instigating sexual assault on a female co-actor in a moving vehicle.
Now it is the Kannada film industry which has been rocked by the gruesome and violent murder allegedly committed by Kannada star Darshan and his alleged accomplices .
I tried to speak to several of Kannada cinema’s leading actors and filmmakers. They all barricaded my efforts .
A major Kannada star whom I respect for his straightforwardness pleaded, “Sir, please don’t involve me in this. It has nothing to do with me.”
I reminded him that none of us had anything to do with the Nirbhaya case.
He argued back, “This is about standing by a colleague. If he has done this, the law should punish him. But I don’t want to say anything.”
Shamefully I faced the same stonewalling during the Dileep episode where the biggest Malayalam superstars held their peace.
Finally, though, someone with a strong voice did speak up about the Darshan incident,and slow clapping for filmmaker Hemanth Rao who directed last year’s stunning Sapta Saagaradaache Ello – Side A and its sequel.
Said Hemanth, “Hello, Sir. I am at a loss of words at how ridiculous his(Darshan’s) decision making has been in all of this. I hope the law and judicial process stay true to the victim.”
We hope Hemanth’s statement will embolden his spineless colleagues to break their silence. Being a celebrity is a huge responsibility.You can’t abuse that privilege for settling personal scores.And worse is the oath of silence to protect the alleged wrongdoer.
