Feb. 25: A longstanding movie industry culture of celebrating macho "heroes" who spout misogynistic lines for cheap thrills received a slap in the face today with a leading Malayalam actor apologising for his past roles and pledging never to disrespect women again in his films.

Prithviraj's Facebook post was uploaded this morning before he left for the shooting of a film opposite the actress who was kidnapped and molested by a gang in a moving car on February 17.

"Never again will I let disrespect for women be celebrated in my movies!" Prithviraj wrote in the post, which quickly went viral.

He saluted the actress for her decision to resume shooting from today, just over a week after her ordeal, asking everyone to "stand up and applaud her".

Prithviraj had lambasted Kerala society's treatment of women following the assault on the actress, who is his friend, saying "I hang my head" in "shame". This had led to charges of hypocrisy, with many citing how he had himself mouthed misogynist lines in movies that denigrated women.

He hadn't replied then but his post today appeared a response to the critics.

"Yes... I'm an actor and this is my craft! I will wholeheartedly trudge the grey and black with characters that possess unhinged moral compasses... but I will never let these men be glorified or their actions justified on screen," the actor wrote today.

Critics have often highlighted the mismatch between the off-screen stand that many Malayalam actors such as Mammootty, Mohanlal, Dileep and Prithviraj have taken on women's rights, and some of their on-screen lines.

In one of his movies, Prithviraj makes a bombastic statement that roughly translates as: "If I deal with you in the real sense, you'll be free only after ten months."

In Vargam, Prithviraj plays a foul-mouthed policeman who utters several borderline misogynistic dialogues. In campus flick Chocolate, his character - the lone male in a college packed with female students - exhausts an entire sequence checking out whether the women have worn slips.

In his post today, Prithviraj eulogised women for their innate strength that he said enabled them to handle crises better than men.

"From a mother picking up (the) pieces of a suddenly derailed life, to bring up two young boys to be the men they are today... to a wife who at the fag end of a 40-hour labour, just as she was being cut open without an anaesthetic, holding my hand and telling me 'It's alright Prithvi'.... I have repeatedly been dumbfounded in realising how much of a lesser being I am in the company of the women in my life."

He didn't identify these women but lauded his co-star.

"Behind the gutsy spunk, there is a vulnerable celebrity who knew well enough what this decision of hers would mean to a life under constant scrutiny. But she also knew... that she had to see it through... for that would set an example... light a torch that will show a path for many to follow! Today she makes a statement," he wrote.

Prime accused Sunil Kumar and his alleged accomplice Vijeesh were today remanded in police custody for eight days.

The court in Aluva had yesterday sent them to judicial custody but the police appealed for 10 days' custody for questioning.