Renowned actress Shakeela made startling revelations about her experience in the Malayalam film industry during a session titled ‘The Myth of Morality’ at the seventh edition of the Kerala Literature Festival (KLF) in Kozhikode. The actress, who once was a prominent figure in Malayalam cinema, claimed that the industry is now reluctant to cast her, citing concerns about how her presence might alter the perception of the films.
Shakeela went on to share instances of financial exploitation by producers from Kerala during her earlier years in the industry. She disclosed that producers would secretly shoot scenes for other projects without her knowledge. Additionally, she revealed incidents where cheques provided by filmmakers bounced, leading her to refuse accepting them. Frustrated by such experiences, Shakeela decided to limit her film shoots to Chennai, expressing a preference for working outside Kerala.
The actress also recounted a past incident where she was denied permission to enter a shopping mall in Kozhikode for a trailer launch event. Unfazed, Shakeela boldly asserted, “Now who can stop me!” as she addressed the audience gathered at the literature festival. The revelations shed light on the challenges and mistreatment faced by Shakeela within the Malayalam film industry.
