Recently, the verdict in the sensational 2017 Kerala actress kidnapping and sexual assault case sparked nationwide controversy in India. While six direct perpetrators were sentenced, the alleged mastermind was acquitted after 28 witnesses recanted their testimonies.
This high-profile case had previously ignited the #MeToo movement in India, yet the outcome stunned the public.
The Nationwide Shocking Assault
The incident occurred in Kerala, southern India, the heart of the Mollywood film industry, which parallels the northern Bollywood in fame. 
On February 17, 2017, renowned Mollywood actress Bhavana Menon finished shooting a film in Thrissur and was returning to Kochi in a private car. She sat in the back seat, driven by her driver.
Halfway through, a van suddenly rear-ended her car. Thinking it was a minor incident, Menon and her driver stopped to check. Unbeknownst to her, this stop was exactly what the attackers had been waiting for. As the car stopped, a group of men from the van rushed out. They assaulted the driver while others broke into the back seat and abducted Menon.
For the next two hours, Menon endured her worst nightmare. The kidnappers drove her car around nearby roads while taking turns assaulting her. Some even recorded the assault on their phones.
Whenever Menon tried to resist, she was threatened. After the assault, the perpetrators abandoned her near a director’s home. Menon found the director and reported the crime. As a high-profile actress, the police immediately treated the case with utmost seriousness, forming a special investigation team led by senior officers.
Three days later, Mollywood actors in Kochi held a public rally supporting Menon. Top actor Dileep, her frequent co-star, also attended.
The police acted swiftly: two suspects were arrested the same day, and five days later, four more, including the leader N.S. Sunil, were captured. By April 18, seven criminals were in custody, and formal charges were filed.
Sparking India’s #MeToo Movement
By June, shocking developments emerged. A cellmate of Sunil informed the police that Sunil had revealed previously unknown details: the mastermind behind the assault was Menon’s screen partner, top Mollywood actor Dileep.
Police later received a letter, supposedly from Sunil to Dileep, and a phone recording, both linking Dileep to the case. Even a director friend of Dileep reportedly received a threatening call demanding hush money.
Facing mounting pressure, Dileep claimed he was framed.
By late June 2017, police formally investigated Dileep. After 13 hours of questioning, they concluded that Dileep had planned Menon’s abduction and assault since 2013, hiring Sunil for ₹150 million . Reportedly, the motive was revenge, as Menon had unintentionally exposed Dileep’s extramarital affair.
After Dileep’s arrest, he was imprisoned and expelled from the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA). The case sparked public debate, prompting the Kerala government to establish a special committee addressing harassment and gender inequality in Mollywood.
Menon’s case initiated the Mollywood version of the #MeToo movement, three months ahead of Hollywood’s wave. It later influenced Bollywood and the broader Indian film industry.
As the trial progressed, Dileep was expelled by AMMA, faced social condemnation, and seemed destined for disgrace.
An Unbelievable Reversal
Dileep repeatedly applied for bail. After multiple denials, he was granted release by the High Court on October 3, 2017, after 84 days in custody.
Over 50 Mollywood insiders testified during the trial, and a subtle force supporting Dileep emerged. Mohanlal, a superstar and new AMMA president, reinstated Dileep’s membership.
During the following year, Dileep filed numerous appeals, and proceedings increasingly favored him. In 2019, Menon alleged severe bias in the court and sought a change of venue, but her request was denied.
By January 30, 2020, three years after the assault, the formal trial commenced. Menon could not have anticipated what came next: 28 prosecution witnesses turned hostile, suddenly claiming Dileep was innocent.
These witnesses included co-actors, doctors, hotel staff, and Dileep’s friends. Many recanted statements that had implicated him, with some citing “I don’t know,” “I didn’t see it,” or “records were wrong.”
One doctor, Ali, had previously stated he was asked to falsify hospital records to provide Dileep with an alibi. During the trial, he denied ever being pressured or falsifying records. Others who had observed Dileep meeting Sunil to plan the assault also recanted.
This massive recantation spanned two years. The narrative shifted from Dileep orchestrating Menon’s abduction to Dileep being framed, striving to restore his reputation.
Public Outcry and Ongoing Legal Battle
By 2022, seeing Dileep escape legal consequences, Menon revealed her identity on Instagram, sharing her ordeal to rally public support.
Despite interventions by the High Court, local courts seemed to favor Dileep. In December 2024, a senior Mollywood figure who had accused Dileep passed away from a heart attack.
On December 12, 2025, the case concluded: Sunil and five direct perpetrators received 20-year sentences, while Dileep was acquitted.
Menon announced she would appeal Dileep’s acquittal in the High Court. The Kerala government pledged support, asserting that justice for the victim was incomplete. Dileep claimed long-term persecution and requested investigations into law enforcement conduct.
Menon expressed no surprise at the shocking reversal, citing a long-standing male-dominated film industry. Western media highlighted that senior male actors, producers, distributors, and directors wielded immense power and wealth, often treating sexual demands as an inherent right, leaving women with little choice.
As Dileep waved to supporters, the case illustrated a reality familiar in Hollywood and Bollywood: entrenched male power, exploitation, and ongoing struggles for justice. Outside Mollywood, many continue to support Menon, hoping the case may yet see a full reversal and deliver complete justice.
