Actor-director Lakshmy Ramakrishnan is visibly upset as she starts talking about the recent controversy that is the hot topic on social media. She has hosted more than 700 shows of the popular TV show Solvathellam Unmai that airs on Zee Thamizh. Today, she feels she has become the butt of jokes thanks to a programme on Star Vijay that has spoofed her and the show.
Speaking exclusively to dna, Lakshmy Ramakrishnan says, “Vijay TV has a show called Adhu Idhu Edhu and in a segment, they spoofed me on the Solvathellam Unmai show. A person was dressed up like me and mouthed dialogues I use on the show like, ‘Ennama Ippadi Panreengale Ma’. This happened a few months back on Vijay TV and pretty soon everywhere I went, people were referring to the spoof and mocking me. I let it go then because I know that when a show becomes popular there is a tendency to spoof it. But I saw a promo of the second version of this on Vijay TV yesterday. I wrote to them stating that the show should not be aired because it is demeaning to me and the show itself. But no one bothered to reply from the channel. I went and met the Police Commissioner and the channel didn’t respond to him either. The show was aired today. I am meeting my lawyers on Monday and suing Star Vijay for defamation. I know the GM of Star Vijay Sriram very well. But he didn't have the courtesy to call me or talk to me.”
Lakshmy Ramakrishnan explains that Solvathellam Unmai has helped many people. “The show’s aim is to help people and it achieves it. Yes, there is 20% intrusion into someone’s personal life but we always try to ensure that it doesn’t harm anyone. For instance, there was a four-year-old boy who came to our show and said he wanted to go to school. His father was paralysed and his mother was begging. After the show, someone gave the mother a job in their house and she is now educating her children. In another case, a 10-year-old-girl came on our show and revealed she was being sexually abused by her father. We were able to help her and highlight the issue of child sexual abuse. There are so many stories I can narrate where we have helped people. Instead of looking at the good that the show and I have done, Vijay TV is spoofing me and making it derogatory. How much of this can I take? There is a limit to everything! I want to be known for my work as an actor, director and the 700 shows of Solvathellam Unmai that I have done successfully – not as ‘Ennama Ippadi Panreengale Ma’ Lakshmy Ramakrishnan!” she signs off.
