In 2019, Rekha in an interview had discussed the lip-lock with Kamal Haasan in Punnagai Mannan. Now, the video is going viral on the internet. As the interview resurfaced, the debate on what really happened on the sets of Punnagai Mannan has also opened up. 

The 1986 romantic drama Punnagai Mannan remains another feather in the cap of Kamal Haasan. Although,  it was the kissing scene that takes place in the film between the characters played by Kamal and Rekha that has been the center of controversy for a while now.

Kamal Haasan
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Rekha didn't consent to the kiss in Punnagai Mannan

When Rekha shot for Punnagai Mannan she was only 16 at the time. The kiss was part of a central scene in the film wherein Kamal and Rekha who are star-crossed lovers were meant to jump into the waterfall. In the scene, before they jump Kamal kisses Rekha. What the audience didn't know then, was Rekha hadn't consented to the kiss.

Regarding the kiss, she said in the interview that director K Balachander had asked Kamal Haasan to close his eyes, "Kamal, close your eyes! You remember what I told you right?" The superstar said that he did remember. After the count 1, 2, 3 the two kissed and jumped. 

Rekha said to The News Minute that after the shot, she had informed the associate directors that she wasn't informed about the kiss and that had she been informed she wouldn't have agreed. However, they told her to think of it as a "big king kissing a small child." They further assured her that it wouldn't pass the Censor. 

When the film became a hit, and Rekha had watched it on the big screen she said that she realized it might have been needed and that it didn't look ugly or aggressive. Regardless, she was young and hadn't consented to it.

Her story sparked numerous questions, especially amidst the #MeToo movement. Rekha also told TNM that nobody believed that she hadn't consented to the kiss, another fact is that only the people who were present that day could vouch for the incident. She did say that she had learned to be careful following that incident.

Netizens demand an apology from Kamal Haasan

As the video of the older interview began going viral many on social media felt that the superstar had to apologize. They believed that if what Rekha was saying was true that Kamal Haasan couldn't simply brush it aside. Rekha said that there was no point bringing it up after so many years, but the internet thinks differently.

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