Jude Anthany abused me in front of staff, unacceptable way to behave with a woman: Kochi Mayor

The mayor said that she was not in a position to grant permission for the film shooting and that the director refused to understand this.

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A police complaint has been filed by the Kochi Mayor Soumini Jain against Malayalam director Jude Anthany Joseph for abusing and threatening her on Wednesday. The tussle began when Jude approached the mayor for permission to shoot a short film starring Nivin Pauly to create awareness about child abuse in Kochi’s Subhash Park. Soumini, however, denied permission.

In a Facebook post on Thursday morning, Jude has claimed that he was made an accused even though his intention was to make a movie for a social cause.

Speaking to The News Minute, the mayor said that she was a person who would go to any extent to help a social cause but that this time, she was not in a position to take a call by herself as it was the council's decision not to allow any film shooting in the park.

"I do not have any personal vengeance against him, so if I register a case against him, it means there is a proper reason behind it. The corporation had earlier decided not to allow film shooting in Subhash Park. We've spent crores to renovate the park recently,” she said.

The mayor added that earlier, they had permitted a shooting in Subhash Park and that this resulted in them incurring a heavy loss that ran into lakhs.

“Once, we gave it for shooting and people who gathered to watch the shooting and meet the stars caused a lot of damages to the park. Water sprinklers, lights music systems - all were damaged. The newspapers and media here reported against the corporation at the time, alleging that we did not manage a public place properly. That is why the council decided not to allow shootings there. Especially, when actors come for the shoot, a large crowd gathers and creates a ruckus in the park, which results in the destruction of public properties,” she told TNM.

The mayor also said that the director’s behaviour was unexpected and shocking and that he'd shouted at her in front of the staff at the corporation. She claimed that they were talking peacefully in the beginning and that she did not lose her temper even when he allegedly insisted rudely that she grant him permission.

“When Jude approached me, I told him that I cannot take the decision alone and that the council has to decide. Then, he started shouting and abusing me. He banged my room's door shut and shouted even at the staff there. I was shocked at the way he reacted. I never expected such a bad reaction from him,” she said.

About the police case, the mayor said that her intention was not to kill the enthusiasm of a young filmmaker, but to make him understand that he cannot behave with a woman like this for no reason.

“I don't want to go ahead with stringent actions, but I just wanted to make him know that he can't abuse a woman for no reason. A person who wanted to make a movie to create awareness about atrocities against women and children should not behave like this,” she asserted.