Sujatha Vijayakumar Denies Financial Exploitation Allegations
Sujatha Vijayakumar, the mother of actress Aarti Ravi and producer, has denied financial exploitation allegations made by her estranged son-in-law, actor Ravi Mohan. This comes after Ravi’s public appearance with his rumoured girlfriend Keneesha Francise led to an online back-and-forth between the actor and his estranged wife Aarti Ravi.
In a statement posted on social media, Sujatha said she is forced to speak publicly for the first time in her 25-year career as a film producer since her silence "has now been misconstrued as manipulation." She recounted making the film "Adangamaru" with Ravi, which failed at the box office. "Yet, Mr. Jayam Ravi continued to insist that I produce more films for him, and I obliged," she said.
Sujatha then revealed that she had borrowed nearly Rs. 100 crores from financiers to produce three of Ravi’s films: "Adangamaru," "Bhoomi," and "Siren," of which 25% was allocated towards the actor’s remuneration. She denied Ravi’s allegation that she used his name as surety for these loans. "I would never misuse his name, not even if he were just an actor. Being my son-in-law, how could I ever jeopardize his future like that? In fact, to protect him, I signed countless documents myself – sometimes on blank sheets handed over by financiers, sometimes without knowing what came next, all to ensure that his name was never burdened," she added.
Sujatha added that her attempts to reach out "as a mother, mother-in-law, and grandmother" have been misinterpreted as attempts to exploit financially. "You have called me ‘Mother’ all these years. As your mother-in-law, my only wish is to see my daughter and my grandchildren live in a happy and united home. No mother can bear to see her daughter lose her family and live in sorrow. I am living through that pain today," she said.
For the unversed, after his appearance with Keneesha, Aarti penned an emotional note calling out Ravi for walking away "from the very responsibilities he once promised to honour." Aarti also alleged that he abandoned his two sons. Shortly later, Ravi responded with a four-page statement and denied Aarti’s claims.
Ravi announced separation from Aarti on September 09, 2024. The two are parents to Aarav and Ayaan.
