Artistes bat for change after Hema committee report on women in Malayalam film industry spotlights dark present

New Delhi/Thiruvananthapuram: Occasionally in the open and most times whispered as innuendo, the exploitation of women in the entertainment industry is under a welcome, much needed spotlight with a report on Malayalam cinema, say insiders across the country, hoping for change but not really expecting it anytime soon.

The Justice Hema Committee report, perhaps the first such for any film industry in India, details the power nexus in the Malayalam cinema industry and lays bare the multiple levels of exploitation faced by women in it. Though the 233-page report was released this week, the Kerala government appointed panel to study issues of sexual harassment and gender inequality was constituted after the 2017 actress assault case involving actor Dileep.

The chronicle of the Malayalam industry – the report was pending for five years -- through the prism of women has shocked many. However, several prominent stakeholders, including in the Hindi film industry, were reluctant to speak on an issue they admitted underscored the vulnerability of women and their perilous work conditions.

"It is very scary to hear what happened in the Malayalam industry. It is completely unacceptable. I appeal to all female artists that nothing is more important than safety and dignity," actor Abhishek Banerjee told PTI.

The Stree-2 and Pataal Lok actor, who is also a casting director, said he would often hear stories about the casting couch when he started out. And that is why his company has a rule that actors, particularly women, are auditioned only in an office space and not in coffee shops or hotels.

The brutal rape and murder of a woman doctor in Kolkata’s RG Kar Hospital, which has hit medical services in several parts of the country, is the backdrop against which the Justice Hema committee report has become public. And Bengali actor Ditipriya Roy, clearly shaken at happenings in her town, told PTI that abuse and violence against women must come to a halt everywhere.

Roy, known for her films Abhijatrik and Bob Biswas, said she is yet to read the Hema Committee report.

Her colleague, Badla actor Moubani Sorcar, daughter of magician P C Sorcar Junior, said, "The safety of women is at stake in any profession. It is shameful how they are being used as targets depending on their gender. Very, very strict laws have to be made for rapists and molesters..."

The Kerala government had constituted the Justice Hema panel following the efforts of the Women in Cinema Collective (WCC).

According to filmmaker Anjali Menon, a prominent director and screenwriter in Malayalam cinema and WCC founding member, the report is the first step in dismantling unfavourable power structures within the industry.

“This opens up an opportunity to clean things up and move to a more equal progressive space," Menon told PTI, adding that it became a possibility because women's voices were heard by the government.

"I am sure there are similar things that happen in other industries but they are not being talked about. In Kerala, we have set precedents with the formation of a women’s collective as well as the government’s actions in this regard...," she said.

Change could be in the offing at some date in the future.

“It is true that we have paid a price with losing work opportunities when we spoke up… But over the last seven years we have consistently made our points and we now have immense support from the media, the legal community and public,” the Ustad Hotel director added.

Filmmaker Jeo Baby, known for training his lens on patriarchy and women's agency in popular Malayalam films such as The Great Indian Kitchen and Kathal: The Core, said the report takes the lid off what has always been talked about in hushed tones. “Till now, what women in the industry faced have been mere whispers of rumours, but now we get a clearer picture of how far they are being humiliated.

"We must address the issues highlighted and put in all efforts required to change this, and the report is but a stepping stone for this change. The government too should play its part," Baby said.

Tired and embittered, Bollywood actor Tanushree Dutta, whose accusations against actor Nana Patekar launched the #MeToo movement in India in 2018, dismissed the report as just another useless exercise. Six years later, she said she is still fighting to keep the case open.

"I feel for the Kerala victim deeply... Nothing will happen with these reports because women still continue to be attacked and exploited. It doesn’t matter in this country who you are… be it Miss India, or an actress, or educated or an accomplished person, it doesn’t matter," Dutta said.

A day after the committee report was made public, Sonia Thilakan, daughter of legendary Malayalam actor Thilakan, narrated her ordeal with sexual harassment.

Addressing a press conference on Tuesday, she alluded to a "power group" within the industry that has long been controlling the Malayalam film industry and AMMA (Association of Malayalam Movie Artists) for a long time. She said her late father was ousted from AMMA for being vocal.

A leading actor, Sonia said, approached her on the pretext of trying to resolve the issue between her father and AMMA but the messages he sent made his intentions clear. Asked to reveal the identity of the actor, Sonia said she would do that later. "I made this revelation now in solidarity with the women who gave statements before the Hema Committee."

Revathi, actor-filmmaker and also a founding member of WCC, termed the release of the report a "historic moment".

"Our work now truly starts… to read, understand and work towards implementing its recommendations. As a WCC member I am truly thankful to all who understand the true meaning of this report. We hope to continue to strive for the safely and betterment of an industry that has given all of us an identity in the society," she wrote on Instagram.

Actor Parvathy, another prominent face in South cinema and a part of WCC, posted on her Instagram Stories, "I want to take a moment to thank those who relentlessly supported WCC in its pursuit. Through thick and thin you've been there. Reminding us when we may have started to doubt ourselves. Amplifying our voices when others tried to smother it! You are a huge part of this victory of truth. THANK YOU!"

Kannada superstar Rishab Shetty, whose film Kantara won two National Film Awards last week, said while he had not read the report as he was busy shooting for his next film, he is all for women's safety in the film industry.

"I have been working in the industry for the past 20 years and those who have worked with me, we ensure that they feel safe. But women do face harassment and other issues in all spheres whether it is films, media or IT. We are always conscious that women working on our set feel safe and are free to talk if they face any issues," Shetty told PTI.

According to Malayalam star Tovino Thomas, the Justice Hema Committee report, like the #MeToo movement, will help women come forward to express themselves.

"People should be educated about how they will feel when they are treated in such a way," Tovino told PTI.