‘Submit entire Hema Commission report under seal’: Kerala High Court tells state govt

Kerala High Court. (Supplied)

The report delves deep into wage discrimination and sexual exploitation, exposing the hidden harassment in the Malayalam film industry. It also exposed the casting couch culture and the silent suffering of women in cinema.

The government released a 233-page document, with some sections revealing the personal information of those involved omitted.

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Hearing in court

The court asked about the government’s intentions regarding the issues raised by the commission. It also asked whether legal action would be taken on the petition filed.

The judges were concerned about the seriousness of the problems identified in the report and whether the names of the witnesses had been passed on to the authorities.

In response, the government argued that the names of the witnesses were confidential and had not been released. The court ordered the government to submit the full report in a sealed envelope for further review.

The court also asked if the witnesses were willing to come forward with their testimonies. The government’s response clarified that the report was meant to analyse the challenges faced by women in the film industry and that there are restrictions on initiating legal cases solely on the basis of the report’s findings.

The government stressed that the Hema Committee, which was set up by the government, had compiled the report with a guarantee of confidentiality for the witnesses. As such, any action based on the report would require witnesses to come forward with formal complaints.

The case is still developing as the court awaits the full report and further clarifications from the government.

The committee was formed following the 2017 actress sexual assault case involving actor Dileep, to investigate sexual harassment and gender inequality in Malayalam cinema.

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