Woman accuses Dulquer Salmaan of body-shaming, using her pics in movie Varane Avashyamund without consent; Actor apologises

Actor Dulquer Salmaan has been accused by a journalist of using her pictures in the film Varane Avashyamund without her consent. In the film, her pictures appear on a poster for a weight loss clinic.

Chetna Kapoor wrote in a tweet that she will be pursuing legal action against the film’s team. “Dear @dulQuer @DQsWayfarerFilm Thank you for the feature in your film but I’d like you to excuse me from body-shaming on a public forum. The concerned image was used without my consent & knowledge in your film. I’d like to claim ownership of the same. #VaraneAvashyamund,” she wrote. “You have not used it once but twice in your film. If only I knew one of my many achievements would be a part of a Dulquer Salman movie, I would have helped them promote the movie even more,” she added.

Dear @dulQuer @DQsWayfarerFilm
Thank you for the feature in your film but I’d like you to excuse me from body-shaming on a public forum. The concerned image was used without my consent & knowledge in your film. I’d like to claim ownership of the same. #VaraneAvashyamund pic.twitter.com/UnDYoDOc3B

— Chetna Kapoor (@chetnak92) April 20, 2020

Dulquer replied to her tweet with a humble apology. “We take full responsibility for the error on our behalf. We will look into it with concerned departments of the film to understand how the images were sourced. I apologize from my end and from the film as well as @DQsWayfarerFilm for any difficulties caused. It wasn’t intentional,” he wrote. 

Director Anoop Sathyan wrote, “First of all we are extremely sorry for the discomfort caused. There wasn’t any intention to disrespect or objectify women, as the content of this film is in itself against sexism. We do state our apology on behalf of the technical crew of this film.” 

Dear @dulQuer @DQsWayfarerFilm
Thank you for the feature in your film but I’d like you to excuse me from body-shaming on a public forum. The concerned image was used without my consent & knowledge in your film. I’d like to claim ownership of the same. #VaraneAvashyamund pic.twitter.com/UnDYoDOc3B

— Chetna Kapoor (@chetnak92) April 20, 2020

Chetna asked him to remove her images from the film or blur them at least. “I appreciate your prompt reply. While you take your time to investigate the matter, it would be ideal that either the scenes are deleted with my pictures in it or the images are blurred effective immediately.” She later tweeted that the matter was dealt with and she will not be pursuing the matter further. “Had a conversation with @anoop_sathyan abt my pictures used in #VaraneAvashyamund Appreciate the thought & effort you put in reaching out to me. I want to assure you that I m willing to put this matter behind. Thanks for the sincere apology,” she wrote. 

Varane Avashyamund, Dulquer’s first production had a good run at box office. The film is helmed by Sathyan Anthikkad’s son Anoop. Apart from Dulquer, the film also stars Suresh Gopi, Shobana and Kalyani Priyadarshan.