'Jailer' actor Vinayakan courts controversy again; post on V.S. Achuthanandan's death draws ire on social media

Actor Vinayakan has once again stirred up the hornet's nest, using offensive language in a Facebook post in response to a text message questioning his "double standards" in the wake of the death of veteran Communist leader and former Kerala chief minister V.S. Achuthanandan, for whom he paid last respects in the form of slogans.

The Jailer actor had made headlines in 2023 when, after former Kerala chief minister Oommen Chandy's death, he posted a live video where he questioned the government's decision to declare a three-day mourning and holiday as a mark of respect. He had also demanded to know the "significance" of Chandy, a tall figure in Kerala politics. Following this, a police case was registered against him.

In his latest Facebook post, Vinayakan mentioned the name of Achuthanandan and those of other late Indian leaders, such as Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, K. Karunakaran, and George Eden. 

He posted this alongside a picture of him posing with his pet dog, which drew the ire of netizens and political groups who demanded that strict action be taken against him. 

When Manorama News had quizzed Vinayakan about the post on Chandy in an earlier interview, the actor denied it, and said that people were targeting him because of his "caste and colour". He added that his primary grievance was with "the media".

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