Content creator Kiki Darling has resigned from Jack Neo’s upcoming film Ah Boys To Firefighters after his 2021 sexual assault conviction resurfaced online. The creator, whose real name is Hari Kishen Balakrishnan, issued a public apology on September 10, taking full responsibility for the harm caused as production works to recast his role.
Resignation From Ah Boys To Firefighters After Online Revelation
Local content creator Kiki Darling has stepped down from his starring role in director Jack Neo’s upcoming film Ah Boys To Firefighters after a viral social media video brought his past criminal record to public attention. The creator, whose legal name is Hari Kishen Balakrishnan, was unveiled on August 31 as one of four new leading men in the latest installment of the military comedy franchise, following an open casting call that drew over 1,000 applicants. Singaporean director Jack Neo is set to remove content creator Kiki Darling from his upcoming film after discovering the newcomer’s past conviction for sexual assault, with the Straits Times reporting that the production team will cut out all filmed scenes featuring the 26-year-old and recast the role with plans for reshoots.
The casting choice unraveled days later. Content creator S Subhraaj posted a video on social media identifying Balakrishnan as the man previously convicted of sexually assaulting a male friend who was drunk and almost unconscious, prompting swift action from the production following an open casting call in June that had selected him to play national serviceman Ramesh Menon. Representatives for J Team Productions stated they were entirely unaware of the conviction during auditions, noting that no prior criminal record was declared. A spokesperson for the production team confirmed that the conviction was only verified on September 8 after details emerged online, expressing shock over the revelation and noting that no one on the crew was previously aware of the matter.
Details of the 2021 Conviction and Reformative Training
Court records from 2021 show that Balakrishnan, who was 20 years old at the time, pleaded guilty to one count of sexual assault by penetration and one count of making an obscene film. An additional molestation charge was taken into consideration by the court during sentencing. The offences occurred in November 2020 following a drinking session involving the then-defendant, a 23-year-old male friend who was nearly unconscious, and several friends. Hari was arrested the day after the offence.
Investigators recovered seven deleted video clips of the sexual acts involving the victim from forensic investigations after the files had been deleted by the perpetrator. District Judge May Mesenas sentenced Balakrishnan in September 2021 to at least six months of reformative training, a rehabilitation programme for those below the age of 21 who commit relatively serious crimes, while remarking during sentencing that while rehabilitation was paramount for youthful offenders, deterrence remained crucial given the severity of the crimes. During his time at the Reformative Training Centre, he attended rehabilitation workshops and classes, as well as counselling with a psychologist. He sat the O levels as a private candidate before enrolling at Republic Polytechnic to study culinary arts.
Public Apology and Community Rebuilding Efforts
Following his departure from the film, Balakrishnan published a video addressing the backlash and acknowledging the pain he caused. The creator, who quit his leading role in Jack Neo’s Ah Boys to Firefighters recently, addressed the saga from the past few days in an Instagram post on September 10, stating, I want you guys to know that I take full responsibility for the harm that I caused the victim
and adding, There’s really nothing I can do to ever undo such pain,
alongside promises that I promise to be clear, and I promise no more hiding.
Hari Kishen Balakrishnan, content creator
During his post-release years, Balakrishnan engaged heavily in community service. While pursuing his culinary diploma at Republic Polytechnic, he became involved in volunteering with the underprivileged and migrant worker communities, served as president of the student council, and acted as a youth advisory panellist for a government feedback unit. Hari said it was through such community work that he felt he could give back to society to pay back somehow for everything that he had done, later starting to create comedy content as Kiki Darling and gaining support from the community.
Production Adjustments and Reputational Management
Following discussions, Hari agreed to step down after a company representative noted that the continued involvement of the actor, who had one of the main characters, could create reputational risks for the film.
“He also understands that if we were to continue with him, given that he is one of the main characters, there are potential reputational risks in us casting him.”
Spokesperson, Ah Boys To Firefighters production team
All previously filmed scenes featuring Balakrishnan will be removed, and the team is looking for another actor for the role while planning additional filming and necessary editing. The production team is actively arranging reshoots and casting a replacement for Ramesh Menon, appearing alongside Singaporean actors Raynold Tan and Luqmaan Hakiim, as well as Malaysian actor and content creator Chai Chang Yong. According to the project representative’s assessment, these adjustments should not significantly affect the theatrical release plans.
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