Malayalam
actor-producer Vijay Babu has been accused of rape by a woman actor. On Monday,
June 27, Babu was arrested on charges of sexual assault while being questioned
at the Ernakulam police station. The 46-year-old actor appeared for anticipatory
bail on June 22 and has been asked by the Kerala High Court to not leave the
state and submit his passport.

Who is
Vijay Babu?

Born on May
14, 1976 in Kerala’s Kollam, Vijay Babu used to say films were his destiny. Babu
is best-known for appearing and starring in films such as “Angamaly Diaries”, “Mudhugauv”,
“June” and “Home”. His production house, Friday Film House, produced “Sufiyum
Sujatayum,” the first Malayalam film to be released on an OTT platform. Vijay
Babu is credited with putting money in several experimental films.

Vijay Babu
did his schooling at St. Jude School in Kollam and his bachelors degree from
Chennai’s Loyola College. Subsequently, he initiated a career in the media
joining STAR India in Mumbai. A star employee at STAR, Babu later went on to
work for Asianet and Sitara TV. In 2009, Babu returned to Kerala as the vice
president of Surya TV.

Also Read | Vijay Babu sexual assault case: Malyalam actor arrested in Ernakulam

It was in
2013 that Babu decided to quit his career in the media and pursue cinema. He
founded a film company called Friday Film House along with woman actor Sandra
Thomas. Friday Film House has won several accolades in state film festivals.

Why is
Vijay Babu in the news?

In April
2022, Vijay Babu was accused of sexual assault by a woman actor who was new to
the Kerala film industry. The woman accused her of physical and sexual abuse for
two years in the name of getting her projects. The woman registered a criminal
complaint against the actor-producer.

On June 27,
2022, Babu was arrested while being interrogated at a police station in
Ernakulam. He had however applied for anticipatory bail on June 22.