Malayalam film industry’s #MeToo scandal, Will more stars be hit?

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

A well-known Malayalam Actor, who is also well-known for her roles in Tamil and Kannada movies, was allegedly attacked in a moving car in February 2017. After filming the attack, five men abducted her and left her alone. Later thereafter, the actor complained to the police. Investigating further, it was discovered that powerful Malayalam star Dileep had reportedly plotted with other men to “teach her a lesson”.

The actor is presently on trial for assault. A number of the witnesses have become antagonistic over time.

A few years later, actor Dileep was accused by filmmaker Balachandra Kumar of having access to the assault’s footage before he ever watched it in the magistrate’s court, an astonishing claim. His accusations caused the case to take a different route.

Women in Cinema Collective (WCC) was founded in the wake of the Malayalam actor sexual assault case. The collective was created by ten Malayalam industry women, including Manju Warrier, Parvathy, Rima Kallingal, Remya Nambeesan, and others, with the goal of improving and safeguarding the working environment for women in the sector.

There were many female actresses in the profession who welcomed this development, but it wasn’t without its difficulties. Numerous actors who backed the assault victim in the case either lost their jobs or were placed under an informal ban.

Impact of the #MeToo Scandal on Malayalam Cinema

Actor Sarada, bureaucrat KB Valsala Kumari, and Justice Hema formed the Hema Committee, which started working in November 2017. Declaring that confidentiality would be upheld, they released a statement encouraging women to come forward. At the hearing before Justice Hema, more than eighty women testified on the unfriendly atmosphere that exists inside the Malayalam film industry.

The committee sent Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan a 296-page report in 2019. Nevertheless, the report sat on the shelf for five years. The administration faced criticism for remaining silent and choosing not to provide the findings to the general public. Many asserted that the government is shielding the powerful individuals who stand to lose face if the report is released.

On August 19, the 296-page report was eventually released to the public. It is made up of the testimony of several female industry professionals. The fact that the report occasionally refers to girls rather than women suggests that kids may have also been the targets of sexual harassment.

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

The Hema Committee report clarified that women were not given access to basic facilities including restrooms and changing areas. However, the accusations of sexual harassment, together with the existence of a strong lobby comprised of senior directors, producers, and technicians, shocked everyone. Other structural concerns also played a significant role.

It should be mentioned that the final report had a few paragraphs omitted. Who is being protected in light of this has come under scrutiny.

The report has a separate section that talks about drunk 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,” read the report.

The powerful lobby aka mafia makes sure that they do not let anyone speak up against them. “If the mafia is unhappy with any of the actresses, they harass them mentally by repeating the shots of intimate scenes on the set. One actress was asked to repeat a kiss scene 17 times by a director after she had complained,” read the report.

In addition to allegations of harassment, the investigation noted that women were paid much less than males. It was also reported that the lead actor from “Take Off,” who was paid less than the males who worked on the movie.

The mafia did everything heinous, from telling ladies, dancers, and young artists not to speak up to “punishing” them if they did.

A few days following the Hema Committee report’s publication, two actors stepped out to reveal their abuser. When she was 19 years old, a female performer claimed that powerful male actor Siddique had sexually assaulted and harassed her.

The actress made the accusation of sexual assault against the star in 2019. She was criticized at the time for fabricating allegations in order to gain attention.

Celebrity Responses to the MeToo Scandal: Support and Controversy

The female actor went into great detail about how Siddique had harassed and assaulted her following the release of the Hema Committee findings. Siddique resigned from his position as General Secretary of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) in response to the accusations.

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

Filmmaker Ranjith resigned as chairman of the Kerala Chalachitra Academy as a result.

Actor Minu Muneer, meanwhile, accused Mukesh, Maniyanpilla Raju, Idavela Babu, and Jayasurya of harassment in a Facebook post. She added that the event happened on a 2013 movie set.

Two of the most influential figures in the Malayalam cinema business are Siddique and Ranjith. Furthermore, it is thought that them resigning from their posts is a positive move.

Members of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) downplayed the publication of the Hema Committee report on August 19, claiming they had not yet seen it in its entirety. Additionally, the authorities stated that they would not intervene until the survivor brought a formal complaint.

Prominent performers in the Malayalam cinema industry, such as Mammootty, Mohanlal (president of AMMA), and a few others, have remained silent over the startling accusations.

At the peak of the #MeToo campaign in 2018, Mohanlal had, in fact, called it a “short-lived fad”. The actor said this during the charity fund-raiser Onnanu Nammal.

“There’s no big problem in the Malayalam film industry. You shouldn’t think of #MeToo as a movement, actually. It’s a fad, and it’s turning into something of a fashion. Anything like that will have a lifespan for a bit,” he said.

Actor Dileep’s suspension was lifted after Mohanlal assumed the role of AMMA president in 2018 following the actor’s involvement in an assault case. One of the main defendants in the 2017 Malayalam actor assault case is Dileep.

Mohanlal has not yet spoken to the press or offered his thoughts on the findings from the Hema Committee.

Some have applauded the Hema Committee for their report, but others have played it down, claiming that harassment and exploitation happen in other sectors of the economy as well as the film business.

Veteran actor and WCC member Revathy told IndiaToday.in, “I am happy. One thing is that this is the first time any state government has made this possible. Though it’s delayed, it has happened. A study of this kind has never happened with regard to the film industry. In that way, it’s very good. But I realise there is a long road ahead. Now we have to work hand-in-hand with the government and the film bodies and understand how to make it a safer place.”

The ladies also identified a few guys in their testimonials who treat women with dignity and with respect.

In response to the article, Tovino Thomas expressed that he found it “hurting” that the Malayalam cinema industry was being singled out. “I don’t know the whole details about the Hema Committee report, but I would say that if somebody has done something terribly wrong, they should be punished; nobody is going to question that,” he stated in an exclusive interview with us. Now is the time to take strict measures.”

Malayalam actor Renji Panicker reacted to the resignations of Ranjith and Siddique and said, “Their creativity cannot be stifled, and it is impossible to exclude them from the film industry without concrete evidence.”

On similar lines, actor-politician Mukesh spoke in favour of Ranjith. “He is my friend and colleague and claiming innocence over these allegations. We can’t scream for someone’s resignation. If calls for resignation yield results, no one would 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 conversation with IndiaToday, appreciated WCC and said, “The most important thing I want to mention here is that hats off to WCC. They came together to do something important. It 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 got a very bad reputation. Sexual harassment is believed to be common and normal here. I am really grateful for the amount of work that the women and WCC have put together. The Hema Committee report wouldn’t have come through in the absence of their push and perseverance,” she said.

In the following days, a number of women are anticipated to come forward with their stories exposing the offenders in the film business, as the Hema Committee report has become a contentious issue of conversation.

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