Why Kerala University Denied Sunny Leone Permission To Perform

The Vice-Chancellor of Kerala University has made a decisive move by denying Bollywood actor Sunny Leone permission to perform a dance show at the University College of Engineering in Thiruvananthapuram. Dr Mohanan Kunnummal, the Vice-Chancellor, has directed the registrar to ensure that Leone's performance is not included in the programme list.

Context of the Decision

This refusal follows a tragic incident in November last year at the Cochin University of Science and Technology (Cusat) in Ernakulam. The stampede occurred just before renowned singer Nikita Gandhi was scheduled to perform at a musical event at the open-air auditorium of CUSAT, killing four people and injuring 60. According to officials, the event was an annual festival that took place from November 24 to 26. The musical event was held in an auditorium with a capacity of 1,000 to 1,500 people.

A senior police source informed Press Trust of India that Deepak Kumar Sahu, the former principal of the engineering school, and two teachers from Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT), had been charged under Section 304 A of the Indian Penal Code (causing death by carelessness).

The Kerala High Court ruled that the stampede at the annual technology festival was clearly due to “some failure” and “should never have happened.”

In response to these events, the state government has banned external DJ parties and music nights on college campuses. The Vice-Chancellor maintained this position, stating that despite the restriction, the University College union attempted to organise a dance programme without the university's permission. Dr Kunnummal indicated explicitly that such programmes would not be tolerated, either on or off campus, under the union's name.

Sunny Leone, aged 43, is not just a Bollywood actor but also a rising star in the Malayalam film industry. She recently shared her enthusiasm for an upcoming Malayalam film directed by Pampally, during a muhurat ceremony in April, where she accidentally burned her hands. Leone was last seen in Anurag Kashyap's film, Kennedy, alongside actors Rahul Bhat and Abhilash Thapliyal.