Casting benches, no toilets on sets, cinema mafia: Hema committee report reveals shocking conditions of women in Malayalam cinemas

The Kerala government on Monday released the Justice K Hema Committee report, which pointed out widespread sexual harassment of women in Malayalam cinemas.

The report was released to the media under the RTI Act after it was filed five years ago. It is the outcome of a government-appointed panel in 2019 to probe reported cases of harassment by women artistes in Malayalam cinema.

The report, seen by Hair Storycontained several shocking revelations about sexual harassment and inhumane conditions for female performers on sets, and shed light on various human rights violations in the workplace.

However, no names of the perpetrators or victims were mentioned. The report clarified: “This is done to protect the interests and welfare of both men and women and the industry itself. Our function is only to study the issues concerning women in cinema, not to name or shame anyone or expose the guilty.”

The report pointed out that harassment of women begins as soon as they enter the industry. Statements by several witnesses examined by the commission revealed that a woman who applies for a role is told to “make adjustments and compromises,” two familiar terms among women in the Malayalam film industry. They are also asked to be available for sex on demand, the report said.

Some witnesses also produced certain video clips, audio clips, screenshots of their very first entry into the cinema and that certain people in the industry persuaded them to make themselves available for sex. Many women stated emphatically before the commission that this situation in the cinema had to stop.

Some of them stated that they were forced to turn down such an offer in the cinema, thereby losing their long-awaited dream of acting in cinema, which is their passion, the report said.

The report added that the Committee had concluded after analysing evidence that women face sexual harassment from celebrities in the industry. Many performers have stated that they are often accompanied by their parents to close relatives on sets, as the demand for sex coincides with an offer of a role, they are concerned about their safety in the workplace.

“In most of the hotels they stayed in, people from the cinema would knock on the doors drunk,” it was cited as an example.

Inhuman working conditions and a powerful lobby

The report also noted that several women who had previously testified spoke of the denial of basic human rights. They were not provided with adequate facilities such as toilets and changing rooms at the filming locations.

“Almost all the women interviewed by the committee stated that there was no toilet or changing room on the set, especially since many locations were filmed outdoors,” the committee said. Women sought out secluded places, such as a forest, or relieved themselves behind bushes. Sometimes they changed under a cloth held by others.

Many witnesses testified that they would not drink water on set to avoid the need to relieve themselves, despite knowing that this would lead to physical ailments. This problem occurred with actresses, junior artists and support staff such as stylists, and caravans were made available for the exclusive use of actresses only.

The report also mentioned a powerful lobby or mafia in Malayalam cinemas, as revealed by a well-known actor.

“They could do anything in the cinema, according to their own ideas and fantasies, and even ban very prominent directors, producers, actors or other persons, although such a ban is illegal and illicit,” the report said.

It also emerged that even women who spoke out in the film industry were reluctant to share their experiences of sexual harassment, fearing that they would be ostracized and subjected to harassment.

“By using fans and fan clubs, they would cause serious online harassment against them on social media. They would also face life-threatening situations, not only for themselves but even for their closest relatives, according to several witnesses. They are thus silenced in the cinema,” the report said.

The Hema Justice Committee report admits that even if an ICC could be established in the film industry, strictly speaking, according to the provisions of the law, it would not provide any help to women and would actually cause them more harm.

“We have absolutely no hesitation in stating that there should be an independent forum to be constituted by the government under a statute to address the issues of women in cinema. Then and only then can women be freed from the ills of the Malayalam film industry,” the report said.