Shocking Abuses and Mafia Links in Malayalam Film Industry Revealed

Thiruvananthapuram: The Malayalam film industry – which has produced some excellent films that have received national and international recognition – has an underbelly that is rotten and stinking to the core. This is the gist of the Justice K Hema Committee Report released by the Kerala government on Monday after four years of inexplicable delay.

About the origin of the report

The commission that looked into the working conditions of women in the Malayalam film industry has made some shocking revelations, including details of how an all-male criminal gang controls the industry with an iron grip. The report was released under the RTI Act after 63 pages of the 295-page draft were suppressed to protect the women who testified to shocking sexual harassment, harrowing work experiences and how powerful actors, producers and others sought sexual favours, including sex, to survive in the industry.

Backroom attempts were made to delay the report till the last moment by people associated with it and outsiders who sought a stay from the Kerala High Court. A powerful lobby full of lust decides who should stay in the industry and who should be cast in films.

Shocking details revealed by the report

“During the course of the investigation, we came to understand that the Malayalam film industry is under the control/grasp of certain producers, directors, actors – all men. They control the entire Malayalam industry and they dominate other persons working in cinema,” the report said.

In a candid admission based on the available evidence, the report said that the Malayalam film industry was heavily influenced by criminals and misogynists. The report refers to this gang as the ‘mafia’ as they have the power to make or ruin the careers of those who spoke out against them. The report confirmed the involvement of ‘big’ actors, though their names have not been mentioned. This has created a huge buzz about who these ‘big actors’ are. But a film critic, who knows the inner workings of the industry, said on condition of anonymity: “Everyone is involved. No one is clean.”

This mafia can do anything in the cinema according to its whims and fancies, and it is so powerful that it can ban leading directors, producers, actors and other individuals, even though the ban is illegal and illicit, the report said.

“No man or woman dares to utter a word that might offend someone belonging to the power group, because such a person would be swept away from the industry by the powerful lobby,” the report said.

Report Creatures In A Cinematic Style

The report begins in a cinematic style: “The sky is full of mysteries with the twinkling stars and the beautiful moon. But scientific research has revealed that the stars do not twinkle and the moon may not be as beautiful as it seems. Do not trust what you see, even salt looks like sugar.” It reveals disturbing and horrifying details of the casting couch, the lack of privacy and adequate facilities for women. The report goes on to say: “There is a general assumption that women come to the cinema (industry) to earn money and that they indulge in everything. The men in the cinema (industry) cannot even imagine that it is because of their passion for art and acting that a woman comes to the film (industry). But the impression is that they come for fame and money and that they sleep with any man to get a chance in a film.”

Women who agree to the mafia’s terms are given code names such as “collaborating artists.” Multiple accounts of women compromising their integrity for roles have emerged, the report said. The report also said production executives acted as manipulative intermediaries while revealing disturbing details of sexual harassment. Actresses were subjected to constant midnight knocks, with the knocks becoming increasingly loud if they didn’t respond. Eventually, some relented.

Another form of intimidation was to force an ‘uncooperative actress’ to do multiple retakes of hugging and kissing scenes while others watched with pleasure. Despite all this, no actress dared to file a complaint with the police, because the mafia would silence them and even threaten their families. The report details the horrific cycle that young performers had to go through. They were bluntly told that they would only get a chance in the film business if they complied with demands for sex. They had no fixed working hours and were forced to work from 7am to 2am the next day, without overtime or transport facilities. They were given substandard food and had to use filthy makeshift toilets with only a cloth as a door. They were afraid to drink water because they would be forced to go to the toilet. The report also addresses issues of wage inequality and is based on the statements of 51 people.