Award-winning Malayalam filmmaker Sanal Kumar Sasidharan landed in police custody on Thursday following a complaint by actress Manju Warrier that he threatened and defamed her.

Sanal, known for films such as S Durga in 2017 (Hivos Tiger Award, Rotterdam film festival), Chola in 2019 and Ozhivudivasathe Kali in 2015 (Best Film, Kerala State Government), resisted the police personnel who reached his home. Subsequently, Sanal claimed on Facebook live that he was being kidnapped by a group of people and that his life was in danger.

In a recent Facebook post, Sanal said Manju's life was in danger, adding that she was in the custody of some people with vested interests. Sanal had worked with Manju in the film Kayyattam, which she co-produced.

Recently, Sanal sent a letter to the President of India and Chief Justice raising apprehension about the law and order situation in Kochi. He cited the life threat faced by Manju and various other death cases to point out that Kerala's law and order situation is worsening day by day.