Radikaa Sarathkumar is one of the major voice from the Tamil industry to extend support to Chinmayi.
Former star and popular actress Radikaa Sarathkumar has extended support to singer Chinmayi Sripada who has levelled sexual harassment allegations against veteran lyricist Vairamuthu.
"Each person knows what they have been through. The veracity was questioned because of the timeline. But what she has gone through is what she has gone through and what she has voiced and its for all of us to support," Radikaa, who hosts an all-women game show "Kodeeswari", told NDTV.
In 2018, Chinmayi had alleged that the organiser of a Tamil musical event held in Switzerland wanted her to visit Vairamuthu at his hotel and "to co-operate" with the lyricist. She claimed that her career will suffer if she did not co-operate.
Chinmayi had also alleged another inappropriate behaviour by Vairamuthu at his Besant Nagar home when she had gone to handover a document. Narrating the ordeal her mother T Padmhasini had then told NDTV, "It was a clear violation, personal that is when we exercised supreme caution. She came back like a Cindrella leaving one chappal there and wearing one chappal and rushed to the car and got into the car".
On the question of whether the industry should avoid engaging Vairamuthu, Radikaa said: "It is each person's perspective on how they hire people and not hire people; may be they feel this is there and not there. But then it's a very very tough road to travel and she has taken that road. It would have its own challenges. But it's for us to support and help her at this time".
Musician and Academy award winner A R Rahman has claimed that he was "shocked" by the allegations. "Been observing the #Me Too movement. Some of the names have shocked me...both the victims and their perpetrators. I would love to see our industry become cleaner and respectful of women. More power to victims who come forward," he tweeted.
Vairamuthu has said that sexual harassment allegations against him are "false" and he is ready to follow the legal route if the accusers file a complaint against him. "The uncivilised culture of defaming popular is the new civility now. I'm being continuously humiliated. This is one among them. I don't bother about anything that is not true. Time will tell the truth," he had tweeted.
He had also denied allegations in a video message saying, "The accusations against me are totally lies. They have ulterior motives. If true all concerned can file a case against me. I am waiting to face it. ...I've collected unshakeable evidence.....Let none decide now if I am a good person or bad. Let court tell. I bow my head before justice".
While Chinmayi had conveyed her work has suffered a hit after she raised Vairamuthu's name, she has been pointing out that the lyricist was neither questioned nor others had any qualms about their association with him.
There was criticism on social media recently after superstar Rajinikanth and actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan shared stage with Vairamuthu during the MNM chief's birthday celebration. Even politicians like former union minister P Chidambaram and MK Stalin were not spared when they took part in Vairamuthu's programmes.
Recently, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh cancelled his visit to Chennai to attend a special convocation at SRM Institute of Science and Technology to confer an honorary doctorate on Vairamuthu. His name was also seen missing in the first poster of veteran Director Mani Ratnam's film "Ponniyin Selvan".