Actor Vinayakan is facing legal scrutiny after his controversial Facebook rant targeting filmmaker Adoor Gopalakrishnan and singer KJ Yesudas triggered widespread condemnation. A formal police complaint has been submitted to the State Police Chief by Congress leader NS Nusoor, seeking stringent legal action against the actor and a mental health evaluation.
“It appears that he derives pleasure from making derogatory comments about eminent personalities,” the complaint reads. “Given his record of involvement in multiple cases, we urge the authorities to proceed with strict legal measures and arrange for a psychological assessment.” The police have yet to confirm whether a case will be registered.
The controversy stems from a now-deleted Facebook post in which Vinayakan launched into a foul-mouthed tirade against Adoor and Yesudas, laced with crude personal insults and expletives. Though the post was later taken down following public backlash, Vinayakan reposted a revised version that removed the profanity but reiterated his harsh criticisms without apology. He took particular aim at Yesudas’ past remarks on women’s clothing and Adoor’s perceived caste and class bias.
Adoor’s recent comments at a state film conclave in Thiruvananthapuram had already drawn flak, after he questioned government support for filmmakers from Scheduled Caste and Tribe communities and women, suggesting such directors should first undergo mandatory training. He also recounted an incident from a past film festival where workers from the Chala market allegedly tried to force entry into a theatre screening an adult scene, a claim he used to justify the introduction of delegate fees. He added that the fee should now be increased, since many delegates remain outside rather than attend screenings.
Vinayakan, in response, accused Adoor of using elitist and classist language to stereotype marginalised groups and justify exclusion. "Wasn’t it indecent when Adoor said that workers from the Chala market broke into a theatre to watch sex scenes? Isn’t it indecent to suggest that Dalits and women will misuse the Rs 1.5 crore given for making films?" he wrote.
The actor concluded by defending his earlier profanity-laced post, saying his use of colloquial language was a deliberate response to what he described as the refined or “Sanskrit” abuse of the elite. “If it is indecent to use colloquial language to counter those who abuse in Sanskrit, then I will continue to do so,” he wrote.