Anaswara Rajan hits back at director Deepu Karunakaran’s allegations: ‘He assumed that I would remain silent’

Anaswara Rajan has strongly refuted the allegations made by ‘Mr. & Mrs. Bachelor’ director Deepu Karunakaran, who claimed that the actress failed to fulfill her promotional commitments for the film.

Taking to her Instagram handle, Anaswara wrote, “I am writing this note due to certain distressing circumstances I have recently faced. For the past few days, director Sri Deepu Karunakaran has been giving interviews to various media outlets, claiming that I refused to cooperate with the promotions of our film. His statements are tarnishing my reputation.”

She went on to explain that she had actively participated in the film’s promotional activities, including sharing the character posters and the official trailer on social media. She also addressed the false narrative that her official Facebook page was merely a fan-run account, stating that there had been deliberate attempts to spread this misinformation.
One of the most serious allegations against Anaswara was that she had refused to attend the film’s shoot until her payments were cleared. Denying this, she stated, “First and foremost, I want to address his claim that I only attended the shoot after ensuring my payment was settled. During the shoot, when a payment issue arose, the producer did not transfer the money, and Deepu instructed me not to leave my room until it was resolved. Despite this, I prioritized completing the shoot instead of halting it. However, his statement that I only participated after ‘counting the money’ deeply hurt me—both professionally and emotionally.”
Contrary to Deepu Karunakaran’s claims, Anaswara asserted that she had done her part in promoting the film. “I have shared the film’s character posters and trailer on my Instagram. I have also shared all promotional posts on my official Facebook page. However, there has been an attempt to spread the false notion that my official Facebook page is merely a fan-run page.”
She also refuted the claim that she refused to cooperate even after requests from the director and the lead actor. “Deepu has falsely claimed that even after he and the lead actor pleaded with me, I refused to participate in promotions. Contrary to these claims, I had already given an interview about the film before its scheduled release. In fact, mine was the only online promotional interview for the movie.”
Anaswara revealed that she had not been kept in the loop regarding the film’s promotional plans and eventual release date. “Two days before the supposed release, we contacted them and were informed that the release had been postponed due to certain unresolved issues. We only learned about this when we reached out to them. Since then, I have never been officially informed about when the film is actually set to release.”
She expressed her frustration over the fact that she was being blamed for not promoting a film whose release date she had never been properly informed about.
One of the most upsetting aspects of the controversy for Anaswara was that Deepu Karunakaran allegedly made statements against her mother and manager. She criticized his actions, stating, “Now, Deepu has suddenly appeared on TV channels and made accusations not just against me but also against my mother and manager. Even today, I have no idea when the movie is being released, yet he is trying to create unnecessary controversies over promotions. I strongly believe that these negative statements are being made with the sole intention of harming my career.”
Anaswara questioned why she was the only actor being targeted when Deepu Karunakaran himself admitted to having difficulties with multiple artists during the shoot. “In one of his interviews, Deepu mentioned that certain actors had caused him difficulties but added that revealing their names would not be beneficial for the film or on a personal level. If that’s the case, how does publicly dragging my name alone serve any purpose for the movie or him personally?”
She further speculated that her being a young female artist might have played a role in this public targeting. “He also claimed that some actors refused to leave their caravans due to payment issues, did not arrive on time for shoots, and were uncooperative. However, instead of naming those actors, he specifically targeted me—someone who is relatively new to the industry and a young female artist. Perhaps he assumed that I would remain silent in response.”
Despite the controversy, Anaswara made it clear that she would not allow defamatory statements to go unchecked. She revealed that she had already filed an official complaint with AMMA. “I have no intention of playing the ‘victim card’ just because I am a woman. However, I have already submitted a formal complaint regarding this matter to the AMMA (Association of Malayalam Movie Artists). If Deepu continues to make defamatory statements against me, I will take official action. Additionally, I will pursue legal measures against YouTube channels and vloggers who have been spreading baseless accusations about me over the past few days without knowing the facts.”
Despite the ordeal, Anaswara showed professionalism by stating that she was still willing to promote the film if given proper notice. “Despite all this, if the team informs me in advance, I am still willing to participate in the film’s promotions.”
She pointed out that she had actively promoted her last three films, adjusting her schedule for promotional activities. “As someone who has been actively involved in the promotions of my last three films over the past three months, even adjusting other commitments to do so, I fully understand the importance of supporting a project beyond contractual obligations.”
Anaswara Rajan's recent outing was the Asif Ali starrer 'Rekhachithram' which turned out to be a super hit.