Hema Commission Report Revives Malayalam Industry MeToo

The much-awaited Hema Commission report exposing rampant sexual harassment of women in the Malayalam film industry was released on August 19, five years after it was submitted to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. The report reveals explosive details of exploitation, sexual harassment, abuse of power and lobbying. Since the report was released, a number of women have come forward accusing actors and directors of sexual misconduct.

WHERE IT ALL STARTED?

In February 2017, a popular Malayalam actress (known for her performances in Tamil and Kannada films) was allegedly attacked in a moving car. Five men abducted her, filmed the attack, and dropped her off. The actor gathered courage and filed a complaint with the police.

During the investigation, it was revealed that Malayalam actor Dileep, a powerful and influential man in Kerala, allegedly conspired with other men to ‘teach her a lesson’.

The actor’s assault case is still pending. Over the years, many witnesses have turned hostile. A few years later, director Balachandra Kumar made shocking claims that actor Dileep was in possession of the footage of the assault even before he saw it in court. His allegations were a turning point in the case.

WOMEN IN CINEMA COLLECTIVE (WCC) EDUCATION

The aftermath of the Malayalam actor’s sexual assault case led to the birth of Women in Cinema Collective (WCC). A group of 10 women from the Malayalam industry including Manju Warrier, Parvathy, Rima Kallingal, Remya Nambeesan and others formed the collective to make the industry a better and safer workplace for women.

While this was seen as a welcome move by many female actors in the industry, it also came with its fair share of obstacles. Many actors who supported the survivor in the assault case lost their jobs or were unofficially banned.

FORMATION OF THE HEMA COMMITTEE

In November 2017, the Hema committee, comprising Justice Hema, actor Sarada and bureaucrat KB Valsala Kumari, began its work. They issued a statement asking women to come forward and promised to maintain confidentiality. More than 80 women shared their testimony before Justice Hema and spoke about the hostile environment in which the Malayalam industry operates.

In 2019, the committee submitted a 296-page report to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vinayajan. However, the report was shelved for five years. The government was criticised for its silence and decision not to make the report public.

Many claimed that the government is protecting the big bosses, who will be exposed when the report comes out.

WHAT DOES THE HEMA COMMITTEE REPORT CONTAIN?

The 296-page report was finally made public on August 19. It consists of testimonies from many women in the industry. In some places, the report also refers to girls instead of women, indicating that minors may also have been victims of sexual harassment.

The extensive report does not name the perpetrators. It also offers a few solutions, some of which are ridiculous. The report exposed the darkest reality of Malayalam cinema, which has a huge fan base worldwide.

The Hema Commission report explained that basic facilities – such as changing rooms and toilets – were not available for women. But what shocked everyone were the stories of sexual harassment, the existence of a powerful lobby (consisting of top directors, producers and technicians) and other systemic problems.

It is notable that several pages were omitted from the final report, raising questions about who is being protected.

CLAIMS ABOUT SEXUAL HARASSMENT AND SHOCKING REALITIES

The report has a separate section that talks about drunken men (actors, producers and directors) knocking on the doors of female actors’ rooms for sex. “The women working in the Malayalam film industry are forced to provide sex on demand at shooting locations. Otherwise, they would be punished and harassed by the all-powerful mafia,” the report said.

The powerful lobby, also known as the mafia, ensures that no one speaks out against them. “If the mafia is unhappy with one of the actresses, they mentally harass them by repeating shots of intimate scenes on set. One actress was asked by a director to repeat a kissing scene 17 times after she complained,” the report said.

In addition to the allegations of harassment, the report also noted that the women were paid significantly less than their male counterparts. It also noted that the actor from “Take Off” (who directed the film) was paid less than the men who starred in it.

From instructing women, dancers and young performers not to speak out to “punishing” them when they did, the Mafia did everything that could not be said.

REVIVAL OF THE METOO OF THE MALAYALAM FILM INDUSTRY?

Days after the publication of the Hema Commission report, two actors came forward to expose their abuser. A female actor alleged that veteran actor Siddique – who is a powerful man – raped and harassed her when she was 19.

In 2019, the female actor accused the actor of sexual misconduct. She was criticized at the time for making false accusations for publicity.

After the Hema committee report, the female actor spoke in detail about how Siddique harassed and raped her. Following the allegations, Siddique resigned as the General Secretary of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA).

Recently, Bengali actor Sreelekha Mitra accused Malayalam director Ranjith of inappropriate behaviour and making her feel uncomfortable.

After this, filmmaker Ranjith stepped down as chairman of the Kerala Chalachitra Academy.

Meanwhile, actor Minu Muneer, in a Facebook post, leveled allegations of abuse against Mukesh, Maniyanpilla Raju, Idavela Babu and Jayasurya. She mentioned that the incident took place on the sets of a 2013 film.

Siddique and Ranjith are considered two powerful men in the Malayalam film industry and their stepping down from their positions is seen as a step in the right direction.

SHOCKING SILENCE FROM TOP MALAYALAM ACTORS AND TECHNICIANS

After the publication of the Hema committee report on August 19, members of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) downplayed it, saying they had not read the report in full. The government too said they would not take any action unless the survivor filed a legal complaint.

Top actors including Mohanlal (chairman of AMMA), Mammootty and several others have remained mum on the shocking allegations in the Malayalam film industry.

At the height of the #MeToo campaign in 2018, Mohanlal even called it a “short-lived fad”. The actor said this during the Onnanu Nammal charity fundraiser.

“There is no big problem in the Malayalam film industry. You shouldn’t really see #MeToo as a movement. It’s a fad and it’s becoming a kind of trend. Something like that has a lifespan for some time,” he said.

Mohanlal became the chairman of AMMA in 2018 and revoked the suspension of actor Dileep after the actor was embroiled in a sexual assault case. Dileep is one of the prime accused in the 2017 Malayalam actor’s sexual assault case.

Mohanlal has not yet spoken to the media or given his opinion on the Hema committee report.

WHO SAID WHAT ABOUT THE HEMA COMMISSION REPORT?

While a section of the population praised the Hema committee for the report, others downplayed the report. They stated that intimidation and exploitation are not limited to the film industry, but also occur in other sectors.

Veteran actor and WCC member Revathy told IndiaToday.in, “I am happy. One thing is that this is the first time that a state government has made this possible. Though it is delayed, it has happened. A study like this has never been done with regard to the film industry. In that sense, it is very good. But I realise that there is still a long way to go. Now we have to work hand in hand with the government and the film organisations and understand how we can make it a safer place.”

The women’s testimonies also mention a number of men who are respectful and treat women with dignity.

Tovino Thomas reacted to the report and said it was ‘painful’ to see the Malayalam film industry being targeted. In an exclusive interview with us, he said, “I don’t know the full details of the Hema committee report, but I would say if someone has done something terribly wrong, he or she should be punished; no one will question that. Strict action should be taken now.”

Reacting to Ranjith and Siddique’s firing, Malayalam actor Renji Panicker said, “Their creativity cannot be suppressed and it is impossible to ban them from the film industry without concrete evidence.”

On the same lines, actor-politician Mukesh spoke out in favour of Ranjith. “He is my friend and colleague and claims innocence on these allegations. We cannot shout for anyone’s resignation. If calls for resignation yield results, no one will survive in politics. So I think only Ranjith can decide on his resignation from the post of Kerala Chalachitra Academy.”

Singer Chinmayi Sripada, in an exclusive chat with IndiaToday, appreciated WCC and said, “The most important thing I want to mention here is that I take my hat off to WCC. They came together to do something important. That has not been done in any other industry so far. Everyone is aware of these open secrets in all industries. We are talking about sexual harassment and sexual abuse, and the abuse of power in multiple other industries.”

“The film industry has somehow gotten a bad reputation. Sexual harassment is considered normal and normal here. I am very grateful to the women and WCC for the amount of work they have done. The Hema Commission report would not have come about without their dedication and perseverance,” she said.

Now that the Hema Commission report has become a heated discussion, many women are expected to come forward with their stories in the coming days to expose the perpetrators in the film industry.

(With inputs from Shibimol and Pramod Madhav)