Introduction
This year has not been kind to the Malayalam movie industry. The release of the justice Hema Committee report, in its least redacted form, has led to a scenic pandemonium. Well-reputed actors are issuing statements of their innocence before the public, AMMA has dissolved after mass-resignation, and buried incidents are resurfacing.
What led to the report? Who all have acted up incorrigibly? Who is raising fingers at whom?
The answer to these questions lies in this article. Keep reading to know how it all began and what’s currently going on since the report’s release.
Case that Led to The Committee: Trial of 2017
In 2017, an actress, who had worked in multiple Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam film projects, was abducted and molested in a car. The people involved had also recorded the video of the sexual assault to threaten the actress with its release in case she went to complain.
The aggrieved actress filed a complaint and seven accused out of ten got arrested. One of those arrested was the Thankamani actor, Dileep. According to the claims of Pulsar Suni, prime accused in the case, the whole incident happened at the behest of Dileep1.
The Mollywood superstar had been arrested and detained for 6 months in relation to this case. Although he received bail from the Supreme Court of India, the matter is still ongoing with the aggrieved actress still awaiting justice.
After this incident, Women in Cinema Collective filed a petition before Kerala High Court, seeking research into workplace conditions of women in Malayalam film industry. This led to the Kerala Government forming a committee in July 2017 with Retired Justice K. Hema, as its head.
This Committee submitted its report in December 2019 to the Kerala State Government, but up until July 2024, there were no action taken. After rejection of several RTIs, seeking the reports’ access, a journalist filed an application requesting the access to redacted copy of the findings. Finally, the Kerala State Information Commission directed the State Government to issue a redacted copy of the report to the applicant2.
After an enormous backlash, numerous writs petitions, and social media drama later, the State Government released 233 pages of the report (excluding few paragraphs whose release would infringe on privacy) for public perusal.
“What’s Under the Floorboard?”: Justice Hema Committee’s Report Revelations
The exploration of Justice Hema Committee into the issues of sexual harassment and gender inequality in Malayalam film industry resulted in a massive document that showcased Mollywood in all its dark glory.
Its findings not only revealed that the gate-code for entry into the industry was “casting couch”, but it also unmasked the existence of a ‘power-group’ consisting of 15 members3.
Proving itself to be comprehensive, the report shocked its readers with a separate section on findings relating to drunk men knocking on female actresses’ doors, at odd hours, with sexual motives. The report also had data related to “all powerful mafia” where it mentioned that the power circle demanded sex from female workers. It also stated that if the woman denied or complained against it, the people in the circle ensured more harassment for her. One of such instances includes an actress who was made to repeat an intimate scene several times after she complained against her director4.
Read more: Lights! Camera! Exploitation! Findings of Justice Hema Committee Report
Besides highlighting the lack of safety for women, from an administrative and legal perspective, this report appears to have discovered the last horcrux that was protecting the misbehaving individuals in the top echelons of the Malayalam movie-making business.
Past Resurfaces: #MeToo in Malayalam Movie Industry
The Justice Hema Committee report shocked the “Power Group” of the industry after its release empowered several women to come out with their experiences of harassment.
Sreelekha Mitra, a renowned Bengali actress, raised allegations of misbehaviour against Ranjith— director and chairman of state-run Kerala Chalachitra Academy. Although he states that the allegation is false and claims to be the “real victim”5, he has stepped down from the chairman’s position.
Minu Muneer is yet another name that has come up in news after her allegation of harassment against numerous Malayalam stars. In some of her interviews, she has named actor Jayasurya and recollected the instances when he hugged and kissed her without her consent. Minu has also named Idavela Babu who had reportedly expressed his desire to for intercourse with her. Another personality to come to the limelight after her interview was Maniyanpilla Raju who had allegedly made inappropriate comments and advances towards her6.
Corroborating Minu’s allegations against Maniyanpilla Raju, Gayathri Varsha affirmed that Muneer had confided about the situation with her when they were on the shoot together7.
Sonia Malhar, actor Jayasurya’s co-actor in Pigman, has also come forward with her complaint against the actor for harassment at the movie’s set8.
The allegations made by Tess Joseph’s (casting director) against Malayalam actor and CPI(M) MLA M Mukesh in 2018 also came up amidst the public outrage.
Following the procession of harassment survivors, Tamil actress Radhika Sarathkumar shared about finding hidden cameras inside the Malayalam film set caravans9.
Sridevika and Geetha Vijayan also recalled their distressing encounters with director Thulasidas.
Silence of the Legends: No Statements of Malayalam Legendary Actors
Superstars of Mollywood, Mohanlal and Mammootty, have kept their quiet amidst the controversy surrounding the report’s release.
AMMA had expelled Dileep as its member after his arrest in 2017 abduction-sexual assault case as the prime accused10. However, in the first meeting chaired by Mohanlal as president, the ban was uplifted. The decision to reinstate Dileep came with major backlash, where a letter addressed to Edavela Babu (then General Secretary) called the decision to be “anti-woman”. In that moment, Mohanlal had stepped in to justify the reinstatement as a unanimous decision of AMMA11.
The choice to be vocal about Dileep’s innocence back then and the choice to stay silent on industry’s safety is costing the actor his credibility.
As allegations of exploitation befell on several members of the organization, AMMA dissolved after an avalanche of resignation from its members, including Mohanlal12.
Hema Committee Report: A Reality Check
While the report digs up graves and ignites rage within those who have held their silence for too long, it also showcases the treatment of women in male dominated industries.
The movie-making business, irrespective of the language, has always treated women as the lesser gender. Be it unequal payment or lack of basic facility, it has made it harder for women to sustain their careers on movie sets.
Sexual discrimination already is an effective hindrance for women who wish to appear on big screen. There is no need for another barricading of sexual harassment to actresses away from the camera.
Authored by Ayush Bardhan, Trainee Associate, The Legal Swan