#MeToo Scandal in Malayalam Film Industry: Will More Stars Be Affected?

“The sky is full of mysteries, with the twinkling stars and the beautiful moon. But scientific research has shown that the stars do not twinkle, nor does the moon look beautiful” – The dark side of the Malayalam film industry was beautifully exposed in the first few sentences of the much-awaited Hema Committee report. The study, which was leaked on August 19, five years after it was sent to the Chief Minister of Kerala Pinarayi Vijayan—reveals shocking facts about the widespread sexual harassment women in the film industry face, along with cases of exploitation, abuse of authority and lobbying. This report sheds light on the MeToo scandal that has long plagued the industry.

A well-known Malayalam actress, who is also known for her roles in Tamil and Kannada films, was allegedly attacked in a moving car in February 2017. After filming the attack, she was abducted by five men and left alone. The actor later filed a police complaint. After further investigation, it was discovered that powerful Malayalam star Dileep had allegedly conspired with other men to “teach her a lesson”.

The actor is currently on trial for assault. A number of witnesses have become hostile over time.

A few years later, actor Dileep was accused by filmmaker Balachandra Kumar of having accessed the footage of the attack before he ever watched it in court, a startling claim. His accusations caused the case to take a different turn.

Women in Cinema Collective (WCC) was formed in the aftermath of the Malayalam actor sexual assault case. The collective was formed by ten Malayalam industry women including Manju Warrier, Parvathy, Rima Kallingal, Remya Nambeesan and others with an aim to improve and protect the working environment for women in the industry.

There were many female actresses in the industry who welcomed this development, but it was not without its problems. Many actors who supported the victim of the attack in the case lost their jobs or were placed under an informal ban.

Impact of #MeToo Scandal on Malayalam Cinema

Actor Sarada, bureaucrat KB Valsala Kumari and Justice Hema formed the Hema committee, which was launched in November 2017. They declared that confidentiality would be maintained and issued a statement encouraging women to come forward. During the hearing before Justice Hema, more than 80 women testified about the unfriendly atmosphere prevailing in the Malayalam film industry.

The commission sent a 296-page report to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in 2019. However, the report remained dormant for five years. The government was criticised for remaining silent and choosing not to release the findings to the general public. Many alleged that the government was protecting powerful individuals who could lose face if the report were released.

On August 19, the 296-page report was finally made public. It is compiled from the testimonies of several female industry professionals. The fact that the report occasionally refers to girls instead of women suggests that children may have been the targets of sexual harassment as well.

The culprits are not identified in the thorough report. It also offers a few remedies, some of which are absurd. The investigation revealed the most sinister side of the Malayalam film, which has a significant global fan base.

The Hema Commission report clarified that women were denied access to basic facilities, such as toilets and changing rooms. However, the allegations of sexual harassment, together with the existence of a strong lobby consisting of senior directors, producers and technicians, shocked everyone. Other structural concerns also played an important role.

It should be noted that the final report was missing a few paragraphs. Who is protected in light of this has been scrutinized.

The report has a separate section that talks about drunken men (actors, producers and directors) knocking on the doors of female actors’ rooms for sex. “The women working in the Malayalam film industry are forced to provide sex on demand at shooting locations. Otherwise, they would be punished and harassed by the all-powerful mafia,” the report said.

The powerful lobby, also known as the mafia, ensures that no one speaks out against them. “If the mafia is unhappy with one of the actresses, they mentally harass them by repeating shots of intimate scenes on set. One actress was asked by a director to repeat a kissing scene 17 times after she complained,” the report said.

In addition to allegations of harassment, the investigation noted that women were paid significantly less than men. It was also reported that the lead actor in “Take Off” was paid less than the men who worked on the film.

The Mafia did everything possible, from telling ladies, dancers and young performers to keep their mouths shut to ‘punishing’ them if they did.

A few days after the publication of the Hema Commission report, two actors came forward to reveal their abuser. When she was 19 years old, a female artist alleged that powerful male actor Siddique had sexually abused and harassed her.

The actress accused the star of sexual assault in 2019, drawing criticism for making up allegations to gain attention.

Celebrity Reactions to the MeToo Scandal: Support and Controversy

The female actor went on to detail how Siddique had harassed and assaulted her after the publication of the Hema committee’s findings. Siddique resigned as the General Secretary of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) in response to the allegations.

Bengali actress Sreelekha Mitra recently said that Malayalam filmmaker Ranjith had behaved inappropriately and it made her feel uncomfortable.

As a result, filmmaker Ranjith stepped down as chairman of the Kerala Chalachitra Academy.

Meanwhile, actor Minu Muneer accused Mukesh, Maniyanpilla Raju, Idavela Babu and Jayasurya of harassment in a Facebook post. She added that the incident took place on a film set in 2013.

Two of the most influential figures in the Malayalam cinema industry are Siddique and Ranjith. Moreover, it is believed to be a positive move that they are stepping down from their posts.

Members of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) downplayed the release of the Hema committee report on August 19, claiming that they had not yet seen it in its entirety. Moreover, the authorities said that they would not intervene until the survivor lodged a formal complaint.

Leading actors in the Malayalam film industry like Mammootty, Mohanlal (chairman of AMMA) and a few others have remained silent about the shocking allegations.

At the height of the #MeToo campaign in 2018, Mohanlal even called it a “short-lived fad”. The actor said this during the Onnanu Nammal charity fundraiser.

“There is no big problem in the Malayalam film industry. You shouldn’t really see #MeToo as a movement. It’s a fad and it’s becoming a kind of trend. Something like that has a lifespan for some time,” he said.

Actor Dileep’s suspension was lifted after Mohanlal took over as AMMA president in 2018 following the actor’s involvement in a sexual assault case. One of the prime accused in the 2017 Malayalam actor’s sexual assault case is Dileep.

Mohanlal has not yet spoken to the press or given his opinion on the Hema committee’s findings.

Some have praised the Hema Commission report, but others have downplayed the report, claiming that harassment and exploitation also occur in other sectors of the economy, not just the film industry.

Veteran actor and WCC member Revathy told IndiaToday.in: “I am happy. One thing is that this is the first time that a state government has made this possible. Even though it is delayed, it has happened. A study like this has never been done with regard to the film industry. In that sense, it is very good. But I realise that there is still a long way to go. Now we have to work hand in hand with the government and the film organisations and understand how we can make it a safer place.”

The ladies also mentioned in their testimonies a number of men who treat women with dignity and respect.

Responding to the article, Tovino Thomas said he was “pained” that the Malayalam cinema industry was being singled out. “I don’t know all the details of the Hema committee report, but I would say that if someone has done something terribly wrong, he or she should be punished; no one will question that,” he said in an exclusive interview with us. “Now is the time to take strict action.”

Reacting to Ranjith and Siddique’s firing, Malayalam actor Renji Panicker said, “Their creativity cannot be suppressed and it is impossible to ban them from the film industry without concrete evidence.”

On the same lines, actor-politician Mukesh spoke out in favour of Ranjith. “He is my friend and colleague and claims innocence on these allegations. We cannot shout for anyone’s resignation. If calls for resignation yield results, no one will survive in politics. So I think only Ranjith can decide on his resignation from the post of Kerala Chalachitra Academy.”

Singer Chinmayi Sripada, in an exclusive chat with IndiaToday, appreciated WCC and said, “The most important thing I want to mention here is that I take my hat off to WCC. They have come together to do something important. That has not been done in any other industry so far. Everyone is aware of these open secrets in all industries. We are talking about sexual harassment and sexual abuse, and the abuse of power in multiple other industries.”

“The film industry has somehow gotten a bad reputation. Sexual harassment is considered normal and normal here. I am very grateful to the women and WCC for the amount of work they have done. The Hema Commission report would not have happened without their dedication and perseverance,” she said.

In the coming days, a number of women are expected to come forward with their stories to expose the offenders in the film industry as the Hema Commission report has become a controversial topic of conversation.

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