Hema Commission Report Published: A Timeline of Events

Members of the Hema Commission presenting the report to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in 2019. File photo

In 2017, a popular Malayalam actress came forward with allegations of kidnapping and sexual assault against her in Kochi. The Kerala police investigation team zeroed in on actor Dileep, who was arrested on charges of conspiracy to carry out the sexual assault. After the survivor identified herself on social media, the industry saw an unprecedented uproar.

A group of women working in the Malayalam film industry came together to form a ‘Women in Cinema Collective’ to support the survivor, even as some actors expressed misogynistic views. The Justice Hema Committee was formed in 2017 by the Kerala government based on a petition by the Women in Cinema Collective (WCC) to study the challenges faced by women in the industry.

Also read: K. Hema Commission Report Reveals Sexual Exploitation in Malayalam Film Industry

Below you will find a timeline of the events that followed the incident and led to the submission of the Hema Justice Committee report.