October 03, 2024

Turmoil In Mollywood

By Our Editorial Team
First publised on 2024-09-01 06:42:10

About the Author

The India Commentary view

View all posts by this Author

The Malayalam film industry has been thrown into turmoil after the release of the Justice Hema committee report. The report has been filed after a delay of five years - the Kerala government had been forced to form the committee after Women in Cinema Collective, an umbrella organisation of women film artistes in the industry took up the issue of sexual harassment faced by them in the wake of abduction-and-sexual-assault case (when a popular actor alleged she was kidnapped and sexually molested) that rocked the film industry in the state in 2017. Actor Dileep was charged by Kerala police in the case.

Following the release of the report, several women working in the industry have come forward to narrate several incidents of sexual harassment by celebrated and powerful actors, producers and directors, among others. The immediate fallout was that director Ranjith resigned as chairman of Kerala State Chalachitra Academy and actor Siddique as general secretary of Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes after allegation of sexual misconduct against them. The Kerala government has formed a 9-member - including 4 women - team of senior police officers to examine the revelations in the report. These are positive developments and will bring relief to the large number of women artistes, some of whom have accused the male members of the industry of treating them like sex workers.

For long, accusations of sexual harassment by women, specifically when the accused was a powerful figure, have been dismissed as "her word against his" and the alleged perpetrator has been allowed to go scot free in most cases. This must change. Veteran actor Mohanlal has come forward to say that the entire industry is responsible for the plight of the women artistes. If the Justice Hema committee report and the action that follows is able to change this mindset, and if henceforth such allegations are treated with the seriousness they deserve and the women are assured of a fair and speedy investigation, it would be a major achievement. The rich and powerful get the courage to treat women either as chattel or as sex toys only because they know that they will not be punished. But if investigations are carried out impartially, justice is dispensed in fast track courts and the accused are punished as per law, this courage will vanish and women will be safe. It will also encourage more women to come forward and report such incidents.