90s actress Sowmya makes a shocking revelation about Tamil director, says "he groomed me as sex slave, called me his daughter"

Sowmya recounted how she was introduced to the director through her college theatre contacts. At the time, she was 18 years old and in her first year of college, coming from a sheltered background with little knowledge of the film industry. "I came from a very sheltered background and my parents knew nothing about movies," she explained.

She described how the director, along with his wife, approached her under the guise of mentorship. "The man - who approached her, she said, with his wife and when she was 18 years old - inflicted mental torture by claiming her as his 'daughter' and declaring he wanted a child with her," Sowmya said.

Manipulation and Grooming

Sowmya's story is a chilling account of grooming and manipulation. She detailed how the director used his power and influence to trap her in a cycle of abuse. "I was a child, I didn't know much," she confessed to NDTV. Her family, unfamiliar with the workings of the film industry, was pressured into allowing her to act.

Also Read: IC 814 flight's sole casualty 25-year-old Rupin Katyal's last words "Papa Pani..."

The grooming process was subtle yet sinister. "They brought me into their home... I was a teenager who was rebellious at home and suddenly this couple was nice to me, bribing me with good food and milkshakes, and telling me good things. That was the grooming process... he knew fully well what he was doing," Sowmya said.

Abuse and Control

Once the director had established control over Sowmya, the abuse escalated. "During the first outdoor shoots he didn't speak to me. The agreement was that his wife would be the director but that was on paper... in reality, he was directing the whole movie," she revealed.

The abuse was not just physical but psychological. "And so I was under his control... and he gave me the 'angry silent treatment' like a lot of men are used to doing. And because of our conditioning in patriarchy... about authority figures, particularly intimidating men who express anger very easily, I was very scared," Sowmya shared, shedding light on the fear and intimidation tactics used to silence her.

A Cycle of Abuse

The abuse continued for nearly a year while Sowmya was still in college. "One fine day, when his wife wasn't around, this man, while calling me his daughter, kissed me. I completely froze. I was so desperate to tell my friends but couldn't... I was ashamed, thinking I had done something wrong and that I was obligated to be nice to this man," Sowmya recounted. The director's predatory behavior escalated, with him eventually raping her. "At some point, he forced himself on me... so he raped me. This went on for close to a year while I was in college," she revealed.

The psychological manipulation continued throughout this period. "During this time, Sowmya said the man repeatedly addressed her as his 'daughter' and also that he wanted a child with her. 'He messed with my brain...' she said, the anger palpable," highlighting the mental toll the abuse took on her.
Legacy of Abuse in the Industry

Sowmya's ordeal did not end there. She continued to face abuse in the Malayalam film industry as well, where she worked on three films. "A co-star who sexually abused me has now been named in the Hema Committee report," she said, referencing the recent report that exposed widespread sexual abuse in the Malayalam film industry. "Directors, actors, and technicians abused me. There were also rights violations. One person spat pan on me," she added.

Despite the trauma she endured, Sowmya has found the courage to speak out, hoping to encourage other survivors to come forward. "It took 30 years for me to heal and recover from this sense of 'shame'... I encourage survivors to report all such abuse," she urged.

Sowmya's revelations have sparked a renewed call for change within the Tamil film industry. As more allegations of sexual abuse surface, there is an urgent need to create a safer environment for women in the industry. Directors like Venkat Prabhu have emphasized the need for a safer working environment for women, acknowledging the industry's failure to address these issues in the past.