On Thursday, a Malayalam Facebook page published a video that showed Printo, a man arrested for abusing actor Parvathy for her comments on misogyny in Malayalam cinema and the movie Kasaba.
The video that showed Printo out on bail had many ‘congratulating’ the young man ‘for escaping from the clutches of feminists’. But what stood out was a comment by a man named Joby George. Joby, the owner of Goodwill Entertainment and the producer of Mammootty starrer Kasaba, had offered a job for Printo through his comment.
“Mone (son), if you can give your number or you can come to my office or home, till my death you have a job, whether in India, Dubai, Australia or UK. Drop me your number, I will call you,” he wrote.
Many have reacted to Joby’s job offer to Printo by congratulating him on social media.
When the controversy over Parvathy’s remarks first broke out, Joby was one of the first few from the film industry to react. He had mocked Parvathy and called her criticism unwanted and a publicity gimmick.
When TNM asked him why he offered Printo a job, Joby unabashedly defended his announcement. “I wrote that comment with all sincerity. Imagine this as an act of empathy from a man who has been wronged for something he has not done, to another man in a similar situation. Printo did not do anything. He is not a fan or anything. He was a bright student.”
While it is for the court to decide whether Printo is guilty or not, would offering a job not send a wrong message to young men who believe they can abuse women online? “I did not send any wrong message. I felt pained at his state,” Joby said.
Joby George with Mammootty
When it was pointed out that Printo had abused Parvathy, Joby claimed he did not know those details, but those who knew Printo had vouched for his sincerity. “Police said he did not abuse,” claimed Joby.
He then added that if Printo had indeed abused Parvathy, she could have forgiven him, like what the Bible preaches. “He may have made a mistake, why can’t we forgive?” he asked.
According to Joby, things written online should be taken lightly and compared it with men scribbling love notes on walls during his college days.
Another man Rojan was arrested by the Kerala police for sending two rape threats to Parvathy on her Instagram. TNM read out the threats and asked if Joby would give a job to Rojan too. He responded, “If he has written this, then he deserves a tight slap.”