Tamil 'Bigg Boss' contestant makes molestation admission on show; Kamal Haasan & audience laugh it off

'Bigg Boss 3' Tamil contestant Saravanan, who is best known for his role in Karthi's 'Paruthiveeran' has mired himself into controversy after he revealed on a TV show that he used to touch women inappropriately while traveling in a bus back in his college days. 

Addressing the tussle between 'Bigg Boss 3' contestants Meera Mithun and Cheran, the host actor Kamal Haasan discussed the difficulties of traveling on a busy bus. A video of the same has gone viral on social media platforms that have been retweeted and shared by many netizens and celebrities "To travel on a busy bus is a big hassle. While there are people who are rushing to reach office on time, there are those who get in just to touch women inappropriately," Haasan can be heard saying in the video. 

However, Saravanan interrupted Haasan and said, "I have done it. It was long back when I was in college", said the contestant. Shockingly, the statement was received with a loud cheer and a big round of applause from the audience of the show, actor Kamal Haasan too laughed over the matter. 

READ: Kamal Haasan Gets Anticipatory Bail From Madras High Court Over 'India's First Terrorist Was Hindu' Comment Citing Nathuram Godse

Singer Chinmayi Sripaada called out the incident after a fan posted a short clip of the 'Bigg Boss' episode in question. "A Tamil channel aired a man proudly proclaiming he used the Public Bus Transport system to molest/grope women - to cheers from the audience. And this is a joke. To the audience. To the women clapping. To the molester", she wrote. 

A Tamil channel aired a man proudly proclaiming he used the Public Bus Transport system to molest/grope women - to cheers from the audience.

And this is a joke. To the audience. To the women clapping. To the molester.

Damn. https://t.co/kaL7PMDw4u

— Chinmayi Sripaada (@Chinmayi) July 27, 2019

The tweet has irked many fans and celebrities who have criticized the channel for airing such sensitive content, and also condemned the actor for 'laughing' off the matter. Read some reactions below- 

sometimes we fail to understand what is a joke and what is not. I hope Kamal Hasan realised what wrong he was doing there.

This kinda jokes encouraged others to do the same depicting it as something cool. absurd.

— Manan (@itsveere) July 28, 2019

This is how they legitimise molesting, groping and stalking. You need a special training to be this ultimate hypocrite of a dumeel to objectify women and talk about women liberation in the same sentence.

— राम ராம் (Ram) 🇮🇳 (@ramisright) July 28, 2019

This is absolutely disgusting!!!!!! Ppl are cheering this kind of behavior and encouraging people to grope women?????? I’m glad @Chinmayi is bringing this up but we all need to bring awareness to this and actually make this stop. This isn’t just some small issue.

— ME 🙃 (@DNPS99) July 27, 2019

READ: MNM Seeks Action Against Minister For Threatening Kamal Haasan 

Meanwhile, 'Bigg Boss 3' Tamil has been mired in controversy ever since it aired. One of the contestants of the show, Meera Mithun accused director Cheran of 'manhandling' her and 'using physical violence' during a particular task. However, Cheran denied and said that Meera was just trying to denigrate his character in front of the audiences and the show contestants