oppn parties Turmoil In Mollywood

Story Of The Day

Assessee Not Responsible For Ensuring TDS Is Paid To The Government: Delhi HC
OPINIONS : Strongly Expressed

December 21, 2024

People Are Talking About

Rohit Warns Sarfaraz, Police Use It To Warn Two-Wheeler Riders

News Snippets

  • The Indian envoy in Bangladesh was summoned by the country's government over the breach in the Bangladesh mission in Agartala
  • Bank account to soon have 4 nominees each
  • TMC and SP stayed away from the INDIA bloc protest over the Adani issue in the Lok Sabha
  • Delhi HC stops the police from arresting Nadeem Khan over a viral video which the police claimed promoted 'enmity'. Court says 'India's harmony not so fragile'
  • Trafiksol asked to refund IPO money by Sebi on account of alleged fraud
  • Re goes down to 84.76 against the USD but ends flat after RBI intervenes
  • Sin goods like tobacco, cigarettes and soft drinks likely to face 35% GST in the post-compensation cess era
  • Bank credit growth slows to 11% (20.6% last year) with retail oans also showing a slowdown
  • Stock markets continue their winning streak on Tuesday: Sensex jumps 597 points to 80845 and Nifty gains 181 points to 24457
  • Asian junior hockey: Defending champions India enter the finals by beating Malaysia 3-1, to play Pakistan for the title
  • Chess World title match: Ding Liren salvages a sraw in the 7th game which he almost lost
  • Experts speculate whether Ding Liren wants the world title match against D Gukesh to go into tie-break after he let off Gukesh easily in the 5th game
  • Tata Memorial Hospital and AIIMS have severely criticized former cricketer and Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu for claiming that his wife fought back cancer with home remedies like haldi, garlic and neem. The hospitals warned the public for not going for such unproven remedies and not delaying treatment as it could prove fatal
  • 3 persons died and scores of policemen wer injured when a survey of a mosque in Sambhal near Bareilly in UP turned violent
  • Bangladesh to review power pacts with Indian companies, including those of the Adani group
D Gukesh is the new chess world champion at 18, the first teen to wear the crown. Capitalizes on an error by Ding Liren to snatch the crown by winning the final game g
oppn parties
Turmoil In Mollywood

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

About the Author

Sunil Garodia The India Commentary view

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. 

Other Stories You Make Like

Editorials

Turmoil In Mollywood

Turmoil In Mollywood

NDA 3.0: Coalition Dharma

NDA 3.0: Coalition Dharma

In Depth

Supreme Court Gets Strict On Child Pornography

Supreme Court Gets Strict On Child Pornography

Editor's Pick

Budapest Chess Olympiad: India Are World Team Champions

Budapest Chess Olympiad: India Are World Team Champions
© 2014 India Commentary. All rights reserved.