Vishal Krishna on Hema committee report: Still no Harvey Weinstein moment in India

Vishal Krishna on Hema committee report: still no Harvey Weinstein moment in India (Credit: Instagram/actorvishalofficial)

The Justice Hema committee was founded by the Kerala government after the Women in Cinema Collective filed a petition following the 2017 sexual assault of the actress.

Tamil actor-producer Vishal Krishna spoke in an exclusive conversation with Zoom about the rampant sexual exploitation in the southern film industry that he has been talking about for years.

Vishal, do you think the Hema committee report is workable?

Yes, it’s good that they formed a committee. We have already started a committee in Tamil in 2019. So it is good that they come out, even if it is late, at least they have the courage to come out because they would probably have felt that it is time to clear their conscience.

It seems a little too late?

Still, it’s a good thing that it’s showing up, even if it’s widespread across all film industries. So we cannot point the finger at a specific sector. It happened in Hollywood too. We are still not having a Harvey Weinstein moment in India.

Still, at least women are coming forward to call the cat?

Yes, a lot of people come out. But the sad thing is that the Amma Association in Kerala has been dissolved. Also in Tamil we have already announced that if anyone has a problem, we are here for you. Please come and complain immediately. Don’t complain after a year, two years or ten years. Take immediate action, we will take immediate action. When we formed a committee in 2019, they must be made public immediately. Time is the essence of this sad exploitation. Unfortunately, I don’t think there are enough women, or for that matter men, willing to come forward with their complaints.

Why is that?

Survive, sir, survive. Artists complaining about being excluded. Sir, it’s really a sad situation that no one wants to have to deal with. I’m doing my best. I saved three girls (from exploitation). They are happy now.

Saved as in?

I got them out of their situation. God bless. They came to me.

More should come forward?

They won’t do that. Like I said, it’s a matter of survival