Aarti Ravi's mother Sujatha Vijayakumar refutes allegations levelled by actor Ravi Mohan

Chennai, May 17 (IANS) Producer Sujatha Vijayakumar, who is also the mother of Aarti Ravi and the mother-in-law of actor Ravi Mohan, has now issued a statement, explaining her version of what transpired and refuting allegations levelled by actor Ravi Mohan with regard to using his signature as a surety in financial dealings.

The producer, in a statement said, "I have been working as a producer for the last 25 years... Throughout this journey, I have never interacted with the press, except during my movie releases. Today, I am compelled to speak publicly for the first time, in response to the serious allegations made against me."

Stating that for sometime now, she had been accused of being a "tormentor, a family breaker, a gold digger, a property exploiter, and much more", the veteran producer said, "I wanted to respond sooner, but I chose silence - out of self-respect and for the greater good of my family and future generations. Unfortunately, that silence has now been misconstrued as manipulation. With the peace of our family at risk, I have decided it is time to speak."

Giving details of her career as a producer, Sujatha said, "In 2007, I produced my first film, Veerappu, with Sundar C in the lead role. It was a profitable venture. I continued my work in television production until 2017. It was Mr. Jayam Ravi who encouraged me to return to film production, and that led to the beginning of Adangamaru. I took on the project with a clear intention: to never mix family bonds with professional commitments, for the sake of harmony. While the film received good reviews, it unfortunately did not succeed commercially. Yet, Mr. Jayam Ravi continued to insist that I produce more films for him, and I obliged."

The producer observed that in the film industry, producers traditionally bow to the camera on the first day of shoot, and often humbled themselves before financiers after a film's release and pointed out that she was no exception.

Sujatha said, "Across the three films I produced starring Mr. Jayam Ravi - Adangamaru, Bhoomi, and Siren - I had to borrow nearly 100 crores from financiers. Twenty- five percent of that amount went directly toward his salary and applicable taxes, with all transactions duly recorded and documented."

Recalling one of Ravi Mohan's allegations, Sujatha said, "Mr. Jayam Ravi alleges that I used his name as surety for these financial dealings. I want to make it clear - 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."

"For over a year, I have made several sincere attempts to reach out to Mr. Jayam Ravi — not in the capacity of a producer, but as a mother, mother-in-law, and grandmother - with the sole intention of restoring peace within the family. Most recently, I sent him a message in light of certain professional matters, hoping it might create an opening for a personal conversation. It was never, as he has suggested, an attempt to exploit him financially," she claimed.

"If I have ever used his signature as surety — even for a single rupee – I invite those who make this claim to come forward and present that document. That is my sincere request," she said.

The producer said, "Mr. Jayam Ravi has been like a son to me. We have admired him and celebrated him as a hero. But to win sympathy by spreading false allegations against us only tarnishes the image he has built over the years. We still want him to be our hero - always."

Specifically addressing Ravi Mohan, she wrote, "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."

"To the media, I make this final request: Please do not label me as a tormentor, a family breaker, or anything else. I do not have the strength to bear these accusations at the most difficult time of my life," she said.

--IANS

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