Actor Siddharth has alleged that his family was threatened after he openly supported the #MeToo movement and filmmaker Leena Manimekalai, who has accused director Susi Ganesan of sexual harassment.
On Wednesday, Siddharth reaffirmed his support for the movement, and Leena, in a tweet. “Susi Ganesan spoke to my aged father on the phone and threatened us with dire consequences if I continue to stand by Leena. So I just want everyone to know that now more than ever... I Stand With #LeenaManimekalai. Stay strong and fight the good fight sister!” he wrote.
Leena had on Sunday accused Susi Ganesan of sexual harassment. She had previously made a similar allegation in 2017, but without naming the person. She said that she found the courage to name her alleged abuser with the #MeToo movement gaining steam across India. She had written that Ganesan had made unwanted sexual advances on her on the pretext of dropping her home.
{{/usCountry}}Leena had on Sunday accused Susi Ganesan of sexual harassment. She had previously made a similar allegation in 2017, but without naming the person. She said that she found the courage to name her alleged abuser with the #MeToo movement gaining steam across India. She had written that Ganesan had made unwanted sexual advances on her on the pretext of dropping her home.
{{/usCountry}}Ganeshan has responded to Leena’s allegations, calling them immoral and is reportedly contemplating legal action against her.
Siddharth has received backlash online after becoming one of the few personalities in the Tamil film industry to publicly take a stand on the matter.
Leena said that she was not afraid of the threats. “I spoke to Siddharth this morning and we had a long chat. He promised me his support and was actually saying that he could receive threats. He, in fact, told me to be careful because Susi Ganeshan would use all his contacts in the police too if necessary,” Leena told The News Minute. “And just as he predicted, he has called and threatened the family. Nobody in my family has received any threats yet. But they are terrified that he will file a case against me,” she added.
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