Written and directed by ‘mafia of men’

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Sexual harassment, blackmail, unofficial ban, mafia-like industry, casting couch, gender discrimination, lack of basic amenities like toilets and dressing rooms, alcohol and drug abuse, denial of roles and remuneration, forcing artistes to compromise, besides lack of a proper legal system to address the issues, have been identified as the major problems facing women working in the Malayalam film industry.

The Justice Hema commission, which was set up to investigate harassment of women in the industry, noted that the industry is in the grip of an all-male power group of 10 to 15 people. The group controls everything and can impose unofficial bans on anyone. The report also mentioned a powerful lobby in the industry, which it called ‘mafia’. The commission noted that casting couch is a reality in Malayalam cinema.

The report listed numerous cases, including blackmail and attempted sexual harassment. In one such case, the actor was told about the amount of nudity that would be shown before filming began. She was told that only part of her backside would be shown. But during filming, she was asked to do a lip lock scene.

Similarly, an actor playing the title role was informed that there would be an intimate scene. One day, the director told her that there would be nudity and lip lock scenes. She was forced to do a kissing scene and expose her body. Later, she was told that there would be nudity and a bathtub scene. She refused to go ahead and left without receiving compensation. Even after she demanded that the director refused to remove the intimate scenes, the report said.

Nearly five years after the commission submitted the report, the state government on Monday released the report under the RTI Act, following a series of legal challenges in the State Information Commission and the Kerala High Court.

The three-member panel, headed by Justice K Hema, had former IAS officer KB Valsalakumari and veteran actor Sarada as members. The government released a 233-page report after deleting nearly 65 pages from the original document, which is based on testimonies of over 50 professionals, including actors and technicians.

The panel’s main finding is about a male power group. About 10 to 15 individuals who are at the forefront of the Malayalam film industry form the core power group, it was noted.

“Certain actors in the film industry (some of whom are also producers, distributors, operators or directors) – all of them men – have acquired enormous fame and wealth and now have complete control over the entire industry,” the report said.

Many individuals, including famous actors, were banned from the cinema. Offending a member of the power group, whether intentionally or unintentionally, even for a stupid reason, could lead to a ban. “If a member of the power group is unhappy with someone in the cinema (be it an actor, producer, director or anyone else in the cinema, no matter how efficient), even because of personal prejudices, all members of the power group join forces and such a person is prevented from working in the cinema,” the report said.

‘Knocking on the door’ at inconvenient hours

The report also noted how members of the Women in Cinema Collective (WCC) have been targeted for the sole reason they protested against atrocities in cinema. The panel said there should be a forum to address the issues. The report highlighted the lack of privacy and inadequate facilities for female artists, besides the inhumane treatment young artists face. Those who testified before the panel also pointed out the reluctance of women to approach the police. Actresses as public figures are at greater risk of repercussions such as cyber attacks.

The commission also described the lack of basic facilities, including toilets, safe changing rooms and accommodation. Sexual harassment included casting couch syndrome and ‘door knocking’ at untimely hours, with the assumption that all women who wanted to be part of the field would be prepared to compromise to any extent. A lack of a written contract was used to delay or even refuse payments, citing superfluous reasons, the report noted.

There is talk of widespread alcohol and drug abuse, cyber attacks by ‘fan clubs’ on those who incur the wrath of the power centre. Equal pay remains a distant dream. It was also noted that the Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) often fails to address the issues. The panel advised the government to introduce legislation to address the issues faced by women in the Malayalam film industry.