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Mansoor Ali Khan doubles down as rape apologist! Actor's press meet statements in English:

PUBLISHED DATE : 21/Nov/2023

Mansoor Ali Khan doubles down as rape apologist! Actor's press meet statements in English:

Tamil actor Mansoor Ali Khan who has mostly appeared in villain roles since 1990, brought out his rape apologist best recently when he stated in the media, "They are not letting me rape (onscreen). I thought of saying this at the Leo (audio launch).. Wow its Trisha! If I have to act with Trisha, then there definitely will be bedroom scenes. Just like how I flung (actress) Khushboo on the bed (in movies), how I flung (actress) Roja, I will be able to fling her (Trisha) too..I have done all kinds of rapes and atrocities in over 150 films. They are not casting me as a villain only (these days)."

 

Last seen in the Vijay starrer Leo, Mansoor Ali Khan's statement came completely unprompted albiet while speaking about his experience on the movie. Actress Trisha who played the female lead role in Leo rightfully declared that she will ensure to not share screen space with the 62 year old ever again. Admist facing temporary suspension from The South Indian Artistes Association aka the Nadigar Sangam, Mansoor Ali Khan doubled down on his rape apologist self during today's press meet, that took place at the same venue where it all started.

 

 

Excerpts of Mansoor Ali Khan's highly problematic press statements in English:


"Thanks to everyone who turned me into a big hero (talking about the press coverage surrounding the controversy)..I called a press meet 10-11 days ago to talk about caste census but to bury that an edited video was cut and released [Editor's note: Mansoor Ali Khan's rape statement was a continuous loop. There were no cuts or edits in the video clip]..I was asked why heroines are not given due importance in films (in the last press meet)..To which I replies I myself  don't get any work (and segued into the rape statement). Now, Nadigar Sangam (The South Indian Artistes Association, a body for all Tamil film actors) has done a very big mistake. They know I'm the senior most member...Such a video has come (talking about his rape statement video), they haven't asked me anything about the video, they have not called me on the phone, they should ask me an explanation by sending a notice...Can someone running a sangam (collective body) do this [referring to the temporary suspension that was issued to Mansoor Ali Khan]? I give 4 hours time for the Nadigar Sangam. What did they say in the press release yesterday? That I should bow down and apologize? What is this? Do I belong to a breed that apologizes?

 

Nadigar Sangam has done a Himalayan mistake. I have controlled myself. If I let go, then I will come down to stripping you of your lioncloth, you will all run hammock (Mansoor Ali Khan's hand gestures and expressions were in tune with this very public threat to the Nadigar Sangam)...

 

For the past few days, I have been treating my hand which was broken around 15 years ago...That girl..what's her name..Trisha said (puts on a female voice in the name of imitating her) 'I loathe acting with him. I will not share screen space with him for life'. All newspapers started using our photos side by side as if we were groom and bride. Couldn't you all have used a better photo of mine?...All languages have given coverage, It has gone till Hollywood. In that sense, I'm happy about it (the publicity)..But what Nadigar Sangam did was a Himalayan fault...They should have done an enquiry first...

 

[Note: Mansoor Ali Khan's demand for an enquiry mimics the recently witnessed sentiment by Bigg Boss Tamil 7 contestant Pradeep Antony, who complained of not being given a chance to explain before being ousted for problematic behaviour witnessed on camera].  

 

[rape apologist rant begins] Now what is a rape scene in cinema? (raises voice) Does rape scene in cinema mean raping for real? If someone kills in a movie, that too heroes only do all this these days...are they murdering for real? Do dumb-f**ks with no brains think rape scene in cinema means doing the act for real? Shouldn't you all have brains? Shouldn't these sangams (collective bodies) have brains? Are people sitting there (in the South Indian Artistes Association) epitome of discipline? Shouldn't they have this basic sense? How do they film a rape scene in movies? (Actress) Meera Jasmine made her debut with me. I lift her and drop her on a bed with a thud. She got hurt, assistant was called, the clothing (on her presumably) uncovered, I covered it and apologized to her if my hand touched her by any means. She said there was nothing of that sort. I asked for a spray to be put on her hip injury, this is how it takes place, a rape scene in cinema...I leave it to you all to decide..I do not get scared for these antics.. The whole of Tamil Nadu is by my side. [end of rape apologist rant]

 

...Even If I know everything about artistes, I am not the one to speak ill of them...Khushbu sister [mispronounces name on purpose several times], S. Ve Shekhar in your BJP party said that women who go to work, get work only by sleeping with men [language used here insinuates that S. Ve. Shekar is a Brahmin]...Why don't you arrest him? There is someone named Sharma in Sivagangai. What he did he say about you? Why don't you arrest him? It was a girl who first died for NEET named Anitha. If you have shame and honour, you too hang and die.. [These problematic digs are directed towards Khushbu Sundar's position in the National Commission for Women]..What is the NCW plucking? [a Tamil expletive term not used in civil conversations, much less in a press meet] Did you all go to Manipur?..

 

...In 4 hours, the Nadigar Sangam should backtrack its press release and send me a notice and give me time for replying (!!)..Roja is someone who has acted with me, she's a good girl, she has been forced to talk..I should be the one to file defamation on all these ladies..How will I regret what I've spoken when I didn't speak anything wrong? 

 

[Mansoor Ali Khan goes into a rape apologist rant once again here and when a male press reporter tries to point out that Trisha was particularly mentioned in his statement, the actor mis-genders the reporter to everyone's laughs. Mansoor Ali Khan then goes on to add]: 

 

You are a fan. What does a fan do? He keeps photos (of female celebrities) here (makes lewd gestures towards to every region of the body). We are not people who demean artistes like that. [When the reporter remains insistent on his stance, Mansoor adds]  I didn't mean (the rape statements) personally..They (Trisha) should thank me at this juncture...What does Lokesh Kanagaraj (Leo director) know?..They have been manipulated..After all this has settled I might even file a damage suit.. Will not leave just like that..

 

[When reporters try to point out the flaws in Mansoor Ali Khan's stance, he starts yelling at them, deviates the topic, tries to damage one of their microphones by repeatedly banging on it and displays breakdown verge from time to time. The actor doesn't spare a young female reporter too, yells at her on camera and tries to shut down her question. But when she powers through with her questions, Mansoor Ali Khan gives her patronizing answers. The male reporters interject at this point and point out the irony in Mansoor Ali Khan's behaviour towards the female reporter, when the press has been gathered for the actor's offensive remarks against women. Mansoor Ali Khan responds to this with more lewd references about Trisha]

 

I am not the one who stripped and drunk-danced at the beach in the middle of the night and got arrested by the police. I am not referencing anyone in particular but she is a good actress. She spoke out of some kind of anger on me. But we will still act together in the next film. I appreciate her... Now they have used our photos together like bride and groom together, in future something else might happen..(a reporter interjects saying this way of speaking is only leading to press coverage)..I will talk like this only"  

 

It is worth mentioning here that Leo director Lokesh Kanagaraj, a self-confessed fan of Mansoor Ali Khan and Jigarthanda DoubleX filmmaker Karthik Subbaraj are the only men from the Tamil film industry to condemn the rape remarks. Telugu star actor Chiranjeevi Konidela has also voiced his support for Trisha while putting Mansoor Ali Khan on blast. 

 


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