A Kerala-based writer and film critic, who lodged a police complaint against cyber bullying after she received threats and abuses online for her Facebook post criticising actor Allu Arjun’s latest film, said on Sunday that she will “never withdraw” the case. She is still continuing to receive threats.
On May 9, Aparna Prasanthi posted on Facebook that she “got a headache” watching the dubbed version of Telugu film Naa Peru Surya, Naa Illu India starring Arjun. She soon started receiving abuses and threats for her post.
“I got a lot of messages from them saying they will meet me at my funeral, that they will rape me and teach me a lesson,” Prasanthi told The News Minute. “They abused my parents, called me and my mother names, and attacked our character.” Prasanthi’s mother P Geetha is also a writer.
Following the threats, she filed a complaint with the cyber police in Malappuram district on May 10. She also wrote to the Kerala chief minister and director general of police, according to Manorama Online. Even after lodging the police complaint, Prasanthi said she has continued to receive threats.
On Sunday, she posted on Facebook that she has “not withdrawn the case” and that she never will. She said she had received threats, abuses and was even body shamed. She questioned how those who sent her the messages could be “protected under the law”. She further said that action must be taken against “cyber threats and bullying”.
Prasanthi has been reviewing Malayalam and other films for the Malayalam media, including Azhimukham, Manorama and Mathrubhumi, for four years now. She said that earlier too she has been body shamed for a bad review. “But it used to die down in a matter of one or two hours and the number of comments were very few”, according to The News Minute.
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