Filmmaker Sanal Kumar Sasidharan Launches Hunger Strike Outside Kerala Secretariat

Malayalam filmmaker Sanal Kumar Sasidharan began an indefinite hunger strike outside the Kerala Secretariat on Monday, demanding the release of the Hema Committee report and investigations into allegations he has been raising concerning actor Manju Warrier and cases registered against him.

Sasidharan announced the protest through a Facebook post and video, saying the Kerala government had failed to order what he described as “fair investigations” despite his repeated requests. He said the issues were not merely personal but matters of wider social importance.

The filmmaker listed three demands. He sought an inquiry into his allegation that Manju Warrier is being held captive by a sex racket, an investigation into an alleged conspiracy behind a case registered against him in the actor’s name, and the release of the Hema Committee report along with a high-level probe into the alleged sex racket he claims is mentioned in the report.

Sasidharan said he had raised the issues during the previous Left Democratic Front administration but alleged that no action was taken. He further claimed that after the new government came to power, he submitted letters to Chief Minister V D Satheesan and Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala in May seeking investigations, but received no response.

He said he had been speaking about the issues on social media for around 100 days, but claimed that neither the public nor the government had come forward to address his concerns. He also said he was alone at the protest site and feared possible attacks, alleging that he was fighting against a “big mafia” and appealing to people to support him.

Sasidharan has had legal disputes with Warrier since 2022, when he was arrested following her complaint alleging harassment, blackmail and attempts to malign her reputation through social media. In January 2025, police registered another case after she accused him of harassing her through social media.

The filmmaker’s latest protest has brought his long-running allegations and the demand for greater action on the Hema Committee findings back into public focus.