Mansoor Ali Khan booked for sexual harassment for his comments on Trisha, actor says 'Didn't say anything wrong'

The Chennai city police has booked actor Mansoor Ali Khan for allegedly making derogatory remarks against actor Trisha Krishnan, police said. Nungambakkam Police has booked the actor under Sections 354 A (sexual harassment) and 509 (word, gesture or act intended to outrage modesty of woman) of the Indian Penal Code. The action was taken following an order of Director-General of Police Shankar Jiwal. Taking suo motu cognisance of the matter, the National Commission for Women had issued a direction to the Tamil Nadu police to register a case against the actor. A video of Mansoor Ali Khan from one of his interviews had surfaced on social media, where he had said he hoped to have a rape scene in ‘Leo’ starring Trisha just like he had in older films with stars like Khushboo and Roja. “When I heard that I was acting with Trisha, I thought there would be a bedroom scene in the film. I thought that I could carry her to the bedroom just like I did with other actresses 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” Khan had purportedly said. Trisha and Mansoor Ali Khan don’t share screen space in Lokesh Kanagaraj’s film ‘Leo’ but have portrayed prominent roles in the film. Actor refuses to apologise Addressing a press conference here, Khan said, “I didn’t mean personally. If there is a rape or murder scene is that real in cinema? Does it mean raping someone for real? What does murder in cinema mean? Does it mean they are murdering someone for real? Why do I need to apologize? I didn’t say anything wrong. I respect all actresses.” Responding to Khan’s remarks, Trisha took to microblogging site X and wrote, “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.” Veteran actor Chiranjeevi reacts “My attention was drawn to some reprehensible comments made by actor Mansoor Ali Khan about Trisha. The comments are distasteful and disgusting not just for an artiste but for any woman or girl. “These comments must be condemned in the strongest words. They reek of perversion. I stand with Trisha and every woman who has to be subject to such horrid comments,” Chiranjeevi posed on X. Trisha thanked the Telugu cinema icon for standing by her side. She also found support in her “Leo” director Kanagaraj and singer Chinmayi Sripada among others. “Leo” is currently streaming on Netflix. With added inputs from agencies