Be it in Manipur or take the case of the brutal incident in RG Kar Medical College and Hospital or maybe Hathras some years ago in Uttar Pradesh or now in the South… The woeful tales of women are widespread and all across and sadly the grief continues and the degree of brutality is growing by the minute.
Justice Hema’s report has opened a Pandora’s Box and has been a beacon of hope for all those who have weathered the storm of being shamed.
Exploitation of women in the entertainment industry has always been a topic discussed in whispers but not probed or dealt with harshly.
While the report was a much-needed spotlight with an insight on Malayalam cinema, say insiders across the country, hoping for change but do they really expect to see the change and if change comes when will it happen? And will the change be permanent?
The report by the Justice Hema Committee, constituted by the Kerala government post the 2017 actress assault case, has revealed instances of harassment and exploitation of women in the Malayalam film industry, prompting calls for action against the guilty.
Rocked by the Justice K Hema Committee’s explosive findings of harassment and abuse of women professionals, the Malayalam film industry on Sunday witnessed two high-profile resignations related to the issues.
Director Ranjith stepped down as chairman of state-run film academy Kerala Chalachitra Academy and actor Siddique resigned as general secretary of AMMA (Association of Malayalam Movie Artists).
Even as political pressure was building against Ranjith, actor Siddique resigned from AMMA amid voices from within his fraternity seeking his resignation.
The Justice Hema Committee report, perhaps the first such for any film industry in India, details the power nexus in the Malayalam cinema industry and lays bare the multiple levels of exploitation faced by women in it. Though the 233-page report was released recently, the Kerala government appointed panel to study issues of sexual harassment and gender inequality was constituted after the 2017 actress assault case involving actor Dileep. The case has been on trial since 2020, and Dileep is presently out on bail.
The Hema Commission
Five months after the incident, the state government in July 2017 formed a three-member committee headed by retired Kerala High Court judge, Justice K Hema, to look into issues of sexual harassment and the pervasive gender pervasive gender inequality in the Malayalam film industry.
The Kerala government had constituted the Justice Hema panel following the efforts of the Women in Cinema Collective (WCC).
According to filmmaker Anjali Menon, a prominent director and screenwriter in Malayalam cinema and WCC founding member, the report is the first step in dismantling unfavourable power structures within the industry.
“This opens up an opportunity to clean things up and move to a more equal progressive space,” Menon told a news agency, adding that it became a possibility because women’s voices were heard by the government.
“I am sure there are similar things that happen in other industries but they are not being talked about. In Kerala, we have set precedents with the formation of a women’s collective as well as the government’s actions in this regard…,” she said.
WAITING FOR THE CHANGE
The commission consulted with several women professionals in the industry and recorded their accounts of sexual harassment, wages earned, and possible blacklisting from work, among other issues. A 300-page report was submitted to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in December 2019, accompanied by documents, audio and video evidence to support the findings.
The commission indicated the existence of a casting couch in the industry, while it also said the presence of alcohol and drugs was widely reported on film sets. The committee recommended the formation of a tribunal to investigate the allegations raised in the report.
Delay in release of the report
The state did not act on its release for three years and said the commission had not been appointed under the Commissions of Inquiry Act, 1952. Despite multiple requests by the WCC and other organisations in the ensuing years, the government refused to disclose the contents of the report, with Cultural Affairs Minister, Saji Cherian informing the Assembly that the confidentiality of multiple respondents would be violated in doing so.
Even as many had said and thought that nothing much would happen, things are happening too fast in Mollywood. Meanwhile, actor-producer Siddique, known for movies like Drishyam and 2018, on Monday filed a complaint against an actress after she levelled allegations of sexual harassment against him.
His complaint has been submitted to the DGP of Kerala Police. Not only this, Malayalam actor Shammy Thilakan also took a dig at Mollywood superstar Mohanlal, who is President of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes (AMMA).
He said that Mohanlal had “Lost his ability to respond” ever since allegations of sexual misconduct emerged. The Justice Hema Committee report consists of testimonies of several women in the industry.
It also mentions girls in place of women in some places, implying that minors might have also been victims of sexual harassment. The report also detailed a lack of basic amenities such as changing rooms and toilets for women.
On Friday, August 23, actor Siddique, “welcomed” the report and its findings, urging the government to take speedy action on the recommendations… On August 25, he resigned as the general secretary of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA).
UNANSWERED QUESTIONS
Whatever CBI finds in the RG Kar case or whether the Committee report is able to provide justice to the women wronged, will the system in general change?
Will this morbid mindset which smells of stench ever be cleansed?
Will women (in general) ever feel confident in their workspace or in public transport or on the streets?
(The writer is a senior journalist and former Senior Associate Editor, O Heraldo, Goa)
