The Global Plague of Sexual Harassment in the Film Industry – Firstpost

Stories of feuds have long fascinated filmmakers and moviegoers. But what happened to a Malayalam film actress on February 17, 2017, would shock not only the robust Malayalam film industry but also the country as a whole.

It all started when the actress was returning home from a shoot; the car she was in was stopped and five men got into the vehicle. For the next two hours, they sexually assaulted her and filmed the grisly proceedings. After the attack, the actress reached a colleague’s house and he encouraged her to file a police report. Thus began a 7-year saga that continues to create ripples, exposing the depravity behind the glitz and glamour as more women in Malayalam cinema gather courage and come forward with their own numbing experiences.

As revealing as this movement is about the Malayalam film industry, which is considered to be developed and progressive, it would be naive to assume that this exploitation does not exist in other film industries, including Hollywood, which is supposed to be the home of progressive values. The Metoo movement in Hollywood exposed one of the most cowardly and lustful leaders in the industry, Harvey Weinstein, who is now in prison for his crimes. Yet for decades he was the toast of the global entertainment industry, winning Oscars with beautiful A-list actresses on his arm; all this while industry insiders knew of his predatory activities. This is often noted and was recently highlighted by the Women in Cinema Collective (the organization founded by the brave women in Malayalam cinema) that a powerful cabal of men were operating in a predatory manner and covering for each other.

Their influence is so great that the women who have taken on this cause have “banished” themselves from film work and have to forge their own path, despite having had successful film careers in the past. Imagine if this were a situation where there were no grays in the situation, such is the shameless complicity of the boys’ club.

The motivation for the brutal crime in 2017 is said to be that the actress was a close friend of superstar Dileep’s ex-wife, whom she informed about his extramarital affair, which led to a divorce. It is said that Dileep was furious and decided to take revenge.

But where will these revelations take us? Just because it hasn’t come to light in a tidal wave and only surfaces occasionally, doesn’t mean this exploitation isn’t happening in other film industries, including the high-profile Bollywood. So far, cases of sexual exploitation have been dismissed as “gossip” or “controversial” women seeking attention.

But this is destined to change. For the first time, it feels like the timer has been set on these practices, and when the dam breaks as it has in the Malayalam film industry, many of those we, the audience, have revered as icons will reveal their true selves. And that will not happen a moment too soon.

This is a fight that men of conscience must fight, because if men are part of the problem, they are also part of the solution. It is unrealistic to deny that even today we are not a male-dominated society, and men in the industry, as prominent and powerful members of the film industry, must join hands with women and clean up the system. This can be done through public statements of solidarity, including insisting that the film sets they work on adhere to Prevention of Sexual Harassment (POSH) guidelines and safe work spaces for women. If big budgets can be spent on VFX and vanity vehicles, why can’t there be a budget for clean and accessible toilets, rest areas and safe travel for women?

As much as I would like to believe that I am an empowered woman, the reality is that even today I know that I cannot get into a car on the freeway alone at 2am, but my male counterpart can. In fact, I cannot even drive on the freeway alone at 8am; just two months ago, when I did, I was followed for a few miles down the freeway by a car full of men. This is my reality and that of many women, and until it changes, the struggle continues.

Advaita Kala is a bestselling author and award-winning screenwriter. The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not represent the position of Firstpost.