#TimesUp: Nadigar Sangam warns Radha Ravi for his crass speech

Though this ought to have happened a long time ago, but it looks like finally sense has dawned on Kollywood and some of the industry bodies Radha Ravi is associated with. His despicable and abominable utterances have shocked and outraged the industry. DMK has suspended his party membership. Radha Ravi should know he cannot take his power and clout in the industry for granted any longer.
It was the final straw that broke the camel’s back. The Tamil film industry, which failed to condone actor Radha Ravi for his crass speeches at most public events, finally chose to take exception to the actor’s boorish behaviour after he slut-shamed Nayanthara, an actress who is dubbed the Lady Superstar. From Vignesh ShivN, director and Nayanthara’s boyfriend, to Radikaa Sarathkumar (Radha Ravi’s stepsister), and The South Indian Artistes Association (popularly referred to as the Nadigar Sangam), the association for Kollywood actors, and DMK, the party which the actor belongs to, have condemned the actor.
“You have been making misogynist remarks and speeches laden with double entendres for years in your interviews, on the stage and at film events… Why haven’t you realised that such action puts the industry, the artistes and the women working in it, to shame, and creates mental stress?” wrote actor Nasser, the president of the Nadigar Sangam. “All said and done, we hope you will avoid such crass speeches in the future. If not, the Nadigar Sangam will seriously consider about extending you any cooperation,” he added.
Meanwhile, actor Vishal, who is the president of Tamil Film Producers Council (TFPC) and the general secretary of the Nadigar Sangam, told us that TFPC will convene a meeting with the Sangam to figure out a course of action. “The TFPC can’t just ban a person; we need to take consensus of other members as well,” said Vishal, who is in Turkey shooting for his film, adding, “That said, I was shocked at the kind of derogatory remarks he made at the event, and even more so because people were clapping for him! And this is not the first time he’s done that. Coming from a film background and having been part of the industry for so many years, this was not expected of him. I just wrapped up a film with him; I wish I have the time now to not include him in it. I’ll make sure I don’t work with him in the future until he changes his behaviour.”
However, both the TFPC and Nadigar Sangam seem to be stopping short of doing the one thing that would have served as a lesson for Radha Ravi and others of his ilk — suspending him from the associations, and forcing him to resign from his post of the president of the South Indian Cine, Television Artistes and Dubbing Artistes Union, where he has already been accused of harassing women, and using his power to throttle those who question him. Even Kamal Haasan, one of the statesmen in the industry, chose to express being hurt over Radha Ravi’s comments, leaving it to others to condemn him. “She is a woman, and someone who belongs to our film industry. We have a responsibility to treat Nayanthara with dignity. When even an ordinary man is expected to do so, it is hurtful that he spoke this way despite being an artiste himself. I hope those who need to condemn this will condemn him,” he said.
When DMK, the political party which the actor belongs to, took cognisance of his remarks towards an actress, it is strange that these industry bodies — whose very role is to protect their members — and veterans have chosen to let the actor go with a mere warning, the equivalent to a slap on the wrists.