Press Trust of India Posted online: Monday, September 26, 2005 at 1333 hours IST Updated: Monday, September 26, 2005 at 1520 hours IST
Chennai, September 26: A recent remark by Kushboo, an actress of yesteryear, on virginity and pre-marital sex, has kicked up lot of dust and controversy, with some political parties in Tamil Nadu besides a section of her own fraternity, taking up the cudgels against her.
The volunteers of Dalit Panthers of India stormed the office of the South India Film Artistes' Association in the city with broomsticks and chappels, demanding an apology from the actress, who hails from Mumbai.
The Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) has announced its intention to protest outside the house of the actress, now away in Singapore on a leisure trip.
A few people had been taken into custody yesterday in connection with the protest demonstrations before the association. A heavy police bandobust has been posted outside the actress's residence in the city.
The actress, a hot throb of several youngsters in the 90's, in an interview to a magazine, had reportedly stated that girls could indulge in pre-marital sex, provided safe measures were followed by them to prevent unwanted pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. Later, she justified her statement by saying that no educated man could expect his partner to be a virgin.
Those in the Kollywood supporting her views maintained that the actress had aired her views only in support of safeguarding against sexually transmitted diseases. The political outfits, red in their faces, said that the statement of the actress went against the basic ethos of Tamil culture and the people.
Some others in the film industry had said that her views went against Tamil culture and ethos.
This is the second controversy involving people from the Kollywood. Only very recently, director-producer, Thankar Bachan had to apologise personally before film personalities for his remarks that 'women who acted mainly for money were akin to prostitutes' and Kushboo was one among the few actresses who vociferously protested the producer's remarks. She was one among the actresses who was not satisfied with his personal apology.
Meanwhile, late last night, 'casual artistes' numbering over 100 gathered in the association's premises to demand action against the Dalit Panthers of India volunteers. They raised slogans supporting Kushboo saying that her remarks were only to caution against the dangers of sexually transmitted disease.
