Noted Mohiniyattam dancer Satyabhama booked for remarks on fellow artiste in Kerala

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Police on Saturday registered a case against noted Mohiniyattam dancer Kalamandalam Satyabhama over her controversial remarks allegedly against a fellow artiste.

The Cantonment police here registered the case based on a complaint filed by noted Mohiniyattam dancer RLV Ramakrishnan.

As a video clip of Satyabhama's remarks made on a YouTube channel went viral on social media and was aired on news channels last week, Ramakrishnan had alleged that her comments were directed at him and threatened to initiate legal action against her.

The video and her subsequent statements defending what she had said were severely criticised by many on social media, cutting across political lines.

"We have received the complaint here today and a case was registered against Satyabhama under various sections of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act," a police officer told PTI.

Further proceedings in the case would be decided later, he added.

In the purported interview, Sathyabhama had said, "The person who performs Mohiniyattam should be 'mohini' (enchanting). He has the colour of a crow. This is an art form that requires a stance that keeps the legs wide apart. There is nothing more repulsive than a man who performs with his legs wide apart in this manner."

"In my opinion, men should perform Mohiniyattam only if they are that good looking...But his looks are unbearable," she added.

Satyabhama, however, had not specified whom she was referring to.

Kerala Ministers Saji Cheriyan, R Bindu and Veena George, Leader of Opposition in the Kerala Assembly V D Satheesan, BJP state chief K Surendran, among others, had condemned her remarks.

The Kerala Kalamandalam, a premier public institution that preserves the state's artistic heritage, had also condemned Satyabhama's remarks.