After row over ‘jihadi’ comment, Tiny Tom faces Neena Kurup’s ire: ‘He tried to attack me’

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‘Tiny Tom lunged at me, hurled abuses,’ alleges Neena Kurup

“Tiny Tom tried to physically attack me. He lunged at me, hurled abuses, and people around had to step in and hold him back. I’ve been carrying the emotional impact of that incident ever since,” Neena Kurup told Onmanorama, recalling the mistreatment she faced from Tiny a day ahead of the organisation’s Kudumba Sangamam event held recently. She has reportedly filed a complaint against him before AMMA’s executive committee, of which she is also a part.

Revealing that the incident happened while several committee members were watching, Neena stated that she decided to speak out only after noticing several “false narratives” swirling about it. “I decided to speak now only after informing AMMA president, Shwetha Menon, because false narratives about me were being circulated. There are recordings that support what happened,” she said.

“Even Lakshmipriya had acknowledged during a phone conversation that people had to restrain Tiny when he came at me. I’m willing to share that conversation as well, if Lakshmipriya agrees,” Neena added.

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Neena Kurup claims ‘groupism’ in AMMA

“Earlier, disagreements inside AMMA were issue-based. People debated opinions and moved on. But now it feels deeply personal. There’s a visible group operating within the committee, and anyone who questions them becomes a target,” she alleged, noting that there is evident “groupism” within the organisation now. Neena, nonetheless, maintained that she has never associated herself with any camps.

“My only question is whether the response would have been this slow if the same words and behaviour had been directed at certain senior members. If something similar had happened to Shwetha Menon, Mohanlal or Mammootty, would there have been any hesitation in taking action?” she wondered over the inaction on her complaint.

‘Tiny Tom speaks in an intimidating manner to women’

Doubling down on Tiny Tom, Neena Kurup claimed that he has behaved aggressively towards women within the association more than once. “He often speaks in an intimidating manner with women. He raises his voice, comes very close to your face, and tries to overpower conversations through aggression. I’ve experienced that personally more than once. I reacted strongly too, because that’s my nature.”

She added, “Many times, people dismissed these incidents, saying, ‘That’s just how Tiny behaves.’ But small incidents ignored repeatedly eventually become much bigger issues. There have been attempts to silence women inside the committee, and there is proof of that in the executive committee discussions.”

Neena Kurup further maintained that she, however, believes there are people within the organisation who act in good faith. Tiny Tom has yet to respond to the new allegations against him.

Disclaimer: This article reports on ongoing professional disputes, allegations of personal hostility, and emotional distress within an industry association. The content is for informational and reporting purposes only, reflecting the personal statements of the individuals involved, and does not constitute verified factual findings or legal conclusions.