Trigger Warning: Sexual Assault
Singer Swagatha S Krishnan, known for songs such as 'Yeno Pennae' from Ispade Rajavum Irudhaya Raniyum and 'Kadhal Kanmani' from Bachelor, has recently opened up about her decision to move to Rishikesh from Chennai and nearly quit the Tamil music industry.
In an interview with Sivasankari Talks, Swagatha has opened up about what she describes as “a very brutal sexual abuse” that forced her to leave Chennai and rebuild her life from scratch in Rishikesh. And what she reveals is not just about one incident but also a disturbing pattern she claims still continues. She, however, did not name her abuser in the interview.
Speaking about the moment that changed everything, Swagatha said the abuse happened inside a music director’s studio — a space she once considered safe. “It was a soundproof room… even if I screamed, no one could hear me,” she recalled, adding that the room was locked and filled with CCTV cameras, including hidden ones.
According to her, the alleged abuser not only recorded the act but also used those recordings to intimidate her later. She claimed he threatened her, saying he had everything on camera and could show it to others. Though she told him such actions would land him in jail, she admitted she was terrified at the time.
Swagatha described the man as a “serial abuser” who followed a calculated pattern—first building trust, then creating emotional dependency, and eventually exploiting it. She alleged that he would initially shower attention and care, present himself as a mentor figure, and gradually manipulate women into vulnerable positions.
“He targets independent women… first borrows money, then delays paying them, and slowly takes control,” she said, explaining how financial and emotional manipulation went hand in hand.
What shook her even more, she said, was discovering that she wasn’t the only victim. Swagatha claimed she has received messages from other women who experienced similar abuse, following the exact same pattern. “Many women have fallen into this trap… even now it is continuing,” she said, adding that she has seen proof of this herself.
She also made a disturbing allegation that secretly recording women — and even children who came to the studio — was treated “like a hobby". Calling it a form of voyeurism, she said she witnessed such behaviour firsthand and was deeply disturbed by it.
The aftermath, she revealed, was just as traumatic. She said she was shamed, falsely accused of theft, and spoken about negatively within the industry. “They twisted the whole story,” she said, adding that even the abuser’s family allegedly participated in discrediting her.
At one point, Swagatha admitted she struggled to even live with herself. She spoke about undergoing skin treatments as a way to cope — “I felt like the parts of my body he touched shouldn’t exist.” She also described isolating herself for days, battling severe emotional distress, and relying heavily on her sister and therapy to survive.
Despite consulting lawyers and senior officials, she chose not to file a formal complaint at the time, citing fear and lack of support. However, she now says she is determined to take legal action — not for revenge, but to prevent further harm. “I will definitely do it legally… so no other woman goes through this,” she said.
