TW: Sexual Harassment. Actor Parvathy Thiruvothu has spoken openly about the fear and trauma she experienced as a child due to repeated instances of harassment by male strangers. She reflected on these memories during a recent appearance on The Male Feminist, where she discussed how such incidents leave lasting physical and emotional imprints.

Recalling how early these experiences began, Parvathy said, “We are born, and then we are assaulted.” She described everyday situations turning unsafe, adding, “Auto mein ghus rahe ho, pinch kar diya,” to underline how casual and frequent such violations were.

One particular incident at a railway station has stayed with her. She remembered being momentarily separated from her mother and walking back with her father when a stranger suddenly struck her. “Kisi ne chest pe maar ke chala gaya. It was not even like touching; it was like thap! I was a child at that time, and I remember being in pain,” she said, emphasising the shock and hurt she felt.

Parvathy also spoke about how her mother tried to protect her by teaching her coping mechanisms at a very young age. “My mom used to teach me how to walk on the streets. Don’t window shop. Look at men’s hands,” she recalled, questioning the harsh reality that forces parents to give such instructions to their children.

She went on to mention other unsettling encounters, including repeated incidents of flashing in public spaces. “The number of times I have turned around and seen a guy with his mundu up… showing his thing,” she said, adding that she did not fully understand what was happening at the time. “It is only much later when you go back and see that our bodies have been impacted by these experiences.”

Last seen in Thangalaan in Tamil and in Her in Malayalam, Parvathy currently has Pradhama Dhrishtya Kuttakkar, and I, Nobody coming up in Malayalam.