Highlights
- Anupama Parameswaran used three characters from Anniyan to describe the behaviour she says she experienced in a past relationship
- She said the relationship involved a repeating cycle of affection, cruelty and apologies
- Her comments come after a cryptic Instagram post sparked speculation about her alleged breakup with Dhruv Vikram
Anupama Parameswaran has found an unusual way to explain what she says was a two-year experience of “narcissistic abuse”. Rather than simply describing her former partner’s behaviour, the actor turned to three characters from Shankar’s Anniyan to illustrate how quickly his personality could appear to change.
Speaking to Dhanya Varma, Anupama said the relationship left her dealing with physical and emotional pain. She did not name the person involved, but said there were “two years of pain, physical and emotional destruction” behind a cryptic Instagram post she shared weeks earlier.
From Remo to Anniyan to Ambi
Anupama drew on the three personalities associated with Vikram’s character in Anniyan to describe the pattern she says she experienced.
She said one day the person would be like Remo, showering her with love and care and making her feel “like the luckiest person alive”. The next day, he would become Anniyan, showing what she described as his most brutal side and appearing indifferent to what was happening around him.
Then came Ambi, she said, with apologies, tears and promises that the behaviour would not happen again.
According to Anupama, the apologies would lead back into the same cycle of affection and conflict.
“Many people are not aware of narcissistic abuse,” she said, using the familiar Anniyan characters to explain what can otherwise be difficult to put into words.
‘I was shrinking’ during those two years
Anupama said the experience affected her both physically and mentally. Instead of feeling that she was developing as a person, she said she felt herself becoming smaller.
She also said she lost a significant amount of weight and lived with a constant sense of fear, unsure of which side of the person she would encounter.
Her comments followed an Instagram post that read, “You have to let go of the dead end to finally find your peace.” Anupama said she had not posted it impulsively and waited until she felt she had genuinely healed before speaking.
“I wanted to post something when I was ready, when I actually healed,” she said.
Why Anupama says recognising the pattern matters
The actor said public reactions to discussions around narcissistic abuse often fall into different groups. Some understand it because they have experienced it or watched someone close to them go through it, while others know little about the subject.
She said another group dismisses such conversations or responds based on assumptions.
But Anupama said her biggest concern was people who may still be living through such a cycle without recognising it.
“The next category is those who I want to talk to, those who have been there and haven’t identified it yet. That is the most dangerous category,” she said.
What about Dhruv Vikram?
Anupama's comments have inevitably brought renewed attention to speculation surrounding Dhruv Vikram. The two actors were linked in reports from early 2025, when they were working together on Bison Kaalamaadan, directed by Mari Selvaraj.
Rumours intensified after an unverified photograph purportedly showing the pair sharing a kiss circulated on social media. Neither Anupama nor Dhruv publicly confirmed their relationship.
Anupama has also continued to build a career across Malayalam, Telugu, Tamil and Kannada cinema since making her debut in Premam in 2015. Her filmography includes A Aa, Karthikeya 2 and Tillu Square, while her more recent releases include Dragon and Paradha.
