The popular Telugu and Tamil actress Anupama Parameswaran opened up in a deeply emotional interview about surviving a two-year relationship marked by intense narcissistic abuse and extreme emotional control. She described the constant manipulation as akin to living with the split-personality character Anniyan—where her partner would shower her with love one day and exhibit extreme cruelty the next. The abuse severely impacted her physical and mental health, causing extreme anxiety, rapid weight loss, and forced isolation from friends, family, and crucial career opportunities.
Rati Agnihotri
Rati Agnihotri
Veteran actress Rati Agnihotri, who had endured years of domestic abuse, says the young actress should have come out much earlier. “I can understand her reason for not coming out earlier. One hopes it (the abuse) will end. Aaj nahin toh kal, kal nahin toh parso. By then too much time has passed. One is scarred for life.”
Domestic violence and emotional abuse affect individuals across all walks of life, and several prominent actresses from Bollywood, Tollywood (Telugu), and Kollywood (Tamil) have courageously broken their silence about their experiences in abusive relationships. By sharing their stories, these women have helped de-stigmatise the conversation around intimate partner violence, mental manipulation, and control.
