Actor Mansoor Ali Khan, on Friday, November 24, issued another statement addressed to actor Trisha, responding to the controversy over his misogynistic and disparaging remarks on her. In his statement, apparently seeking her forgiveness, he said that he hopes to get a chance to ‘bless’ Trisha ‘during her wedding’, while still claiming that he had ‘won’ the ‘battle’ over the issue that had raged on for weeks. While many members from the Tamil and Telugu film industries slammed him for his comments, Mansoor thanked those who spoke in support of him, and “greeted” those who criticised him.
Trisha wrote a post implying that she accepted the apology. “To err is human, to forgive is divine,” she posted. Mansoor had said that he regrets not getting to act in a ‘rape scene’ with Trisha in her recent film Leo, triggering a major controversy.
After the controversy raged on for days, Mansoor said on Friday, November 24, “Trisha, my fellow-actor, forgive me. May God give me the blessing to bless your mangalyam (nuptial chain) during your wedlock. Ameen.”
In an Instagram post, Mansoor claimed that he had gotten a “victory” in a bloodless battle that raged on for a week. The actor said, “I thank all the actors, leaders and journalists who argued for me. I greet those who spoke against me and issued warnings.” He further alleged that when a police officer told him that Trisha was upset at his statement, he was worried.
Read: Mansoor Ali Khan’s rape comments: Tamil film industry needs to do more than just outrage
He also claimed that the media was chasing him like a “hungry vulture trying to grab a chick.” Stating that the fourth pillar of democracy was the media, Mansoor claimed that it refuses to question atrocities, including those in Manipur, Hathras and Vachathi. Claiming that he got only small roles to act in films despite “losing his youth in the film industry,” he said that he needs to work more for the welfare of the people.
The actor, known for doing mainly negative roles in Tamil films, had co-starred with Trisha in Leo. The controversy erupted when Mansoor said, “When I heard that I was acting with Trisha, I thought there would be a bedroom scene [a reference to rape scenes] in the film. I thought that I could carry her to the bedroom just like I did with other actors in my earlier movies. I have done so many rape scenes in a number of movies and it’s not new to me. But these guys didn’t even show Trisha to me on the sets during the Kashmir schedule.”
Trisha responded to Mansoor’s comments and said, “A recent video has come to my notice where Mr Mansoor Ali Khan has spoken about me in a vile and disgusting manner. I strongly condemn this and find it sexist, disrespectful, misogynistic, repulsive and in bad taste. He can keep wishing but I am grateful never to have shared screen space with someone as pathetic as him and I will make sure it never happens for the rest of my film career as well. People like him bring a bad name to mankind.”
The Tamil Nadu police, under the directions of the National Commission for Women, booked Mansoor under Sections 354A (sexual harassment) and 509 (word, gesture or act intended to outrage modesty of woman) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).