Watch: What the Hema Commission Report Says About the Malayalam Film Industry

Explained: What the Hema Commission Report Says About the Malayalam Film Industry

A committee set up to look into the issues faced by women in the Malayalam film industry was released on Monday, laying bare the sordid reality behind the “exterior glitz” of the industry. The committee, headed by former Kerala High Court judge K. Hema, was set up after the sexual assault of an actor in 2017. The report was submitted to the Kerala government on December 31, 2019, and made public on August 19, 2024.

The 235-page report details horrific stories of sexual exploitation, illegal bans, discrimination, drug and alcohol abuse, wage disparities and inhuman working conditions. It notes that the Malayalam film industry is in the grip of certain male producers, directors and actors, who were described as a “mafia” by a prominent actor, as they could keep anyone out of the industry.

The report has created a political storm in Kerala. The opposition accused the government of not taking action against the perpetrators, while the government denied any wrongdoing on its part. Leader of the opposition VD Satheesan has accused Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Culture Minister Saji Cherian of sitting on the Hema Commission report. He accused Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan of committing a criminal act by sitting on the report for almost five years.

The government must explain why it did not initiate legal and criminal proceedings based on the statements of women in the Malayalam film industry, who testified before the commission, despite receiving the report almost four-and-a-half years ago in 2019, he said. He asked the government to initiate an inquiry into the matter without delay. Who is the government protecting by not acting on such crucial revelations? he asked.

BJP’s Nivedita Subramanian (text: BJP’s state president Mahila Morcha) accused the government of protecting predators in the film industry.

Culture Minister Saji Cherian said none of the 45 people who testified before the commission had pursued the matter in court or with the government, preventing further legal action. “It is a hard truth of capitalism that powerful, profitable lobbies with health and welfare controlled various sectors. Oppression is second nature to capitalism. It is difficult to change,” Mr Cherian said. He said an entertainment industry conclave in October would pave the way for greater accountability and transparency in the sector.

Reacting to the report, Kerala Women’s Commission chairperson P. Satheedevi said that the Kerala government must take steps to ensure essential conditions for women to work with dignity and self-respect in the Malayalam film industry. She said the report had indicated that the film industry itself had been taken over by criminals, had patriarchal tendencies and was a place where women were treated as second-class citizens.

Report: SR Praveen

Production: V. Nivedita