Daijiworld Media Network - Kochi
Kochi, Jul 26: Actor, television host and Bigg Boss Malayalam Season 1 winner Pearle Maaney has lost more than three lakh followers on Instagram following backlash over her comments on the ongoing student protests. The actor has also reportedly witnessed a decline in her follower count on Facebook and YouTube.
Pearle had around 2.7 million Instagram followers when she shared a post on Jul 24 about the protests. As of Sunday, her follower count had dropped to approximately 2.4 million. She also disabled comments on the post after facing criticism, although users continued posting negative remarks on her other social media posts.
Several users accused the actor of being disconnected from the struggles faced by students. Others criticised her decision to disable comments despite captioning the post, "The comments section is a reflection of my Freedom of Speech."
In her Instagram post, Pearle described the student protests as "painful" and "heartbreaking" and appealed to protesters to prioritise their safety.
"All I could think was... Please don't get hurt. Please stay safe. If your life is in danger, go back home. No cause is worth losing a life over," she wrote.
She also said she hoped the movement's primary objective would remain focused on students and their demand for a fair education system.
"At the same time, I hope that the original purpose of this movement is never overshadowed. Whenever any movement grows this large, emotions run high, different voices emerge, and the conversation can become more complex. My hope is that the focus always remains on the students and the future they are asking us to build," she added.
The controversy intensified after Pearle shared a series of Instagram Stories that appeared to target filmmaker Sibi Malayil, though she did not name him directly.
"My post should have come with a trigger warning I guess! It has made a lot of people uncomfortable... A failed filmmaker now writing a 10-page script about my 4-page post, adding chilli powder and ajinomoto to make it as unhealthy as possible," she wrote.
In another story, she added, "And yes, my favourite colour is saffron! I think I love it the most on our Indian flag."
Following the remarks, Sibi Malayil's son, Joe, strongly criticised Pearle through his Instagram Stories, identifying the "failed filmmaker" as his father.
"Hey momma bear, that 'failed filmmaker' is my father. Check properly before who you are dealing with. Since you made this personal, let the games begin," Joe wrote, while defending his father and criticising Pearle's response.
The social media controversy continues to generate strong reactions online, with supporters and critics of the actor expressing sharply divided views over her comments on the student protests.