Kerala forms team to probe allegations of atrocities against women in film industry

The Kerala government has formed a special team to investigate the atrocities faced by women in the film industry. The seven-member team was formed after Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan convened a high-level meeting of senior police officials. The Chief Minister’s office said the special team will be headed by IG Sparjan Kumar and will include four senior women IPS officers from the state.

In recent weeks, the Malayalam film industry has been plagued by allegations of harassment and sexual abuse against female professionals.

The issue, which had been in the background for a long time, made headlines after the Hema committee submitted its report after a twenty-year investigation.

The 290-page report, commissioned by the Kerala government in 2017 and headed by retired judge K Hema, revealed systematic intimidation, abuse and a “criminal nexus” within the industry.

Shortly after its contents became public, director Ranjith Balakrishnan and actor Siddique resigned from their positions at the Kerala Chalachitra Academy and Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA), amid allegations of misconduct.

Ranjith, a prominent filmmaker and chairman of Kerala Chalachitra Academy, had resigned after a Bengali actress accused him of inappropriate behaviour. Ranjith denied the allegations and claimed that he is the “real victim”.

The Hema Commission report brought to light numerous cases of harassment and exploitation of women in the Malayalam film industry, leading to calls for action against the culprits.