The Malayalam film industry is ruled by very powerful forces and is a boys club and people believe that it is their right to show their power by sexually harassing or mentally harassing women and they see nothing wrong in doing so, several said the female artist who is now a film producer.
“In the film, they believe that it is their right to abuse women and get away with it because they feel that the ‘power group’ will be their safety net. They believe that they can be found behind powerful people in the Malayalam film industry Protect.
The same sentiments were echoed by actor and producer Sandra Thomas, who in an exclusive interview with News18 recounted her experience in Cameroon after complaining about unethical practices in the industry and the Film Producers Guild. The experience of humiliation before the KFPA.
The popular Malayalam actress spoke about how she endured many humiliating experiences. Recently, she hit some roadblocks as her movie “Tiny Hearts” was about to be released. Shane Nigam, who played the lead role, was banned from the industry for other reasons, and Sandra felt that her film's posters and advertising were not being taken as seriously as other films that were being released at the same time. Sandra also raised issues around ticketing, claiming that some platforms were cheating producers or holding them to ransom. Additionally, the showtimes for her film were moved to 10am, 11am and 12pm, making it difficult for family members to attend.
“I filed a complaint with the Producers Association. To discuss the issue, they called me on the executive committee, which consists of 21 men and 1 woman. I stood there facing their prying eyes and giggles. I was asked some disturbing questions,” Sandra told News18. “They laughed at me and kept saying there was no solution. They laughed at me and asked the director if he should go out and put up movie posters on the streets.
For an industry known for progressive and cutting-edge filmmaking, these stories of regressive attitudes and sexual assault raise questions about why various associations and platforms remain silent while women continue to suffer at the hands of their abusers.
News18 has a letter written by Sandra to KFPA, stressing the need for a safer and better-paid working environment for women in the film industry. The four-page letter contains 15 recommendations, explaining how the Hema Commission report exposes the dark side of the industry and calls for action to address these issues. She noted that while Hema's report was public, there was no discussion, debate or position from any film organization in the state.
Sandra's letter highlights three key points: First, any reports of harassment or criminal activity on film sets or studios should be reported immediately to the police rather than trying to be resolved within the film organization, which will only lead to further compromise.
She also raised the need for basic facilities such as bio-toilets for junior artistes and shared caravans to provide daily needs for support actors, especially female actors.
“Mandatory caravans have two doors to give artistes access to basic facilities. One door is allocated for men and another door for women. I provided eight caravans for my film Little Hearts. I know The budget may be tight, but at least there should be a shared bathroom for basic needs,” she advises.
Sandra also addressed the issue of safe toilet facilities for women in her letter.
When the issue of women's restrooms was raised, another actress anonymously shared her experience with KFPA.
“The actress was asked how many times a day she needed to use the restroom. She responded four or five times. That's when the executive committee asked her to specify if she needed to urinate or defecate. How much more insulting and humiliating could it be? Ra asked.
She also stressed the need to base actors' salaries on market value, but in a way that producers can pay other actors decent salaries without letting the lead character take up the lion's share of the budget.
“In a film with a budget of Rs 4 crore, how can we pay the rest of the crew and make the film if the lead actor is being paid Rs 2 crore? Is this feasible?” asked Sandra.
She further stressed the need for more female leadership in forums, noting that there was not a single woman in the film association, even in the redressal forum set up to address the issue of women artistes.
“Strict rules should be put in place to prevent individuals with external power, such as famous politicians or influential individuals, from holding positions in any industry association. They will only use external connections in the film industry to protect their interests,” Sandra wrote in a letter to the Korean Film Festival Association.
She also advocates a ban on the use of narcotics on location or in accommodation during filming, and a ban on alcohol at wrap parties.
Sandra suggested: “Make it mandatory for all employees involved in film production to issue criminal record certificates, streamline the casting process through the Film Chamber of Commerce, and fully empower directors and producers to hire actors.”
She points out that men in the Kerala film industry are well organized but women are not. She said there was a need to establish a women's forum within the film chamber to include women from all areas of film where they could raise issues and seek solutions.
Renowned actress and model Shwetha Menon has strongly expressed her views on the issue, arguing that although the churn has not fully started yet, the engine has started.
“This is a wonderful start. It gives women strength to believe that finally someone will listen to them. The law needs to be strengthened and enforced. There must be a deep fear of the law so that perpetrators are detained and punished.
Menon didn't go through the traumatic experiences many women are going through now, and she says it's because she's always spoken out when she felt she was being abused. “That's why I did a few films, maybe five or six, and then moved on. I fought for my rights in every film and always kept my head high,” Menon said, adding She fights for others and herself.
She stressed that the Hema Commission report gave women the courage to speak out after decades of abuse. “But don't let them suffer again. Don't let them relive the abuse from 20 years ago in their minds. Get justice for them as soon as possible and make sure no woman ever goes through something like this again. Many women are left without family support. It's unfair to face these situations. I'm glad these stories are finally coming to light and causing ripples in the industry and society at large,” she told News18.
The tall Menon was once asked to bow his head while filming a film. She refused, and her father explicitly asked her to walk with her head held high to instill confidence in her. “No one can make you look down. Keep your chin up, your head up, and you'll see what's in front of you,” her father would say, and she was glad he did.
Menon said that while it may be a long-drawn fight, the collective power of women coming together to fight for change, achieve legal reform and ultimately reach its logical conclusion is powerful. “I sense a lot of determination from a lot of people, which is a good sign.”
She hopes this won’t become the story of Kerala – a picture of sordidness – but that the changes made will have a lasting impact across all industries, creating a safer workplace for women. “As President Durupadi Murmu told us in no uncertain terms today, 'We have had enough,'” she said.
Menon reiterated that society needs to truly wake up.
“This is the pinnacle of men and women, so everyone needs to be more humane and responsible for each other,” she said.
