In a recent development, actor Mansoor Ali Khan’s attempt to file a defamation case against Trisha Krishnan, Chiranjeevi, and Kushboo Sundar has been rejected by the Madras High Court, dismissing it as a mere publicity stunt. The court, citing the predictable reactions from Trisha and others, imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh on Khan, directing him to deposit the amount with the Adyar Cancer Institute in Chennai.
The court rationalized that the responses from Trisha and others were expected in such a situation, emphasizing that Trisha appeared to be the aggrieved party, as indicated by Justice Kumar in an earlier statement.
Mansoor Ali Khan had sought permission to file a civil defamation suit, asserting that his comments were taken out of context, leading to defamatory remarks on social media. The controversy emerged when Khan made misogynistic comments about Trisha during a press meet for his film ‘Leo,’ expressing a desire for a particular scene and making inappropriate remarks about the actress. Trisha and others swiftly condemned his comments on social media, with Trisha publicly stating her refusal to work with him.
During a prior hearing, Justice Kumar suggested that Trisha, as the aggrieved party, should have approached the court. Trisha’s response was resolute, denouncing Mansoor’s comments as sexist and disrespectful. Despite Mansoor’s initial apology on Twitter, Trisha responded with a message emphasizing forgiveness.
The National Commission for Women took cognizance of Mansoor’s statement, leading the Chennai police to register an FIR against him under Sections 354A (sexual harassment) and 509 (outraging the modesty of a woman) of the Indian Penal Code. Notable figures in the industry, including Khushbu and Chiranjeevi, expressed their support for Trisha during the controversy.