A Hema Judicial Commission report released on Monday has revealed widespread and persistent sexual harassment faced by women in the Malayalam film industry, with many claiming they were subjected to unnecessary provocations before they even started working.
The report highlights the widespread nature of the problem, raising concerns for the safety and wellbeing of female professionals in the industry.
The much-anticipated report by the Hema Judicial Commission, a panel appointed by the government in 2019 to study issues faced by women in the Malayalam film industry, contains an explosive account of the harassment, exploitation and abuse faced by women.
“There is evidence that certain men in the film industry, who were known and renowned for their abilities as artists, directors or anyone in the film industry, sexually harassed and physically assaulted certain women in the film. It was a provocation that shocked them by treating them,” the panel said.
Copies of the report were provided to the media under the Disclosure of Information Act five years after it was submitted to the government.
In a series of shocking and shameful revelations, the report states that actresses faced harassment, including instances of drunken men from the film industry knocking on their room doors.
Reports say many of those who have been sexually harassed are reluctant to complain to the police out of fear.
“The sky is full of mystery, with twinkling stars and a beautiful moon. But scientific research has found that the stars don't twinkle and the moon isn't beautiful either.
“Don't believe what you see; even salt looks like sugar,” the report begins.
According to the report submitted by the three-member panel, the main issue faced by women in the film industry is sexual harassment.
“This is the worst evil faced by women in the film industry. Women in films are least likely to speak out about the sexual harassment they have experienced, even to other women or close relatives,” the report states.
According to the report, female actors who are prepared to compromise will be given code names, while those who are not prepared to compromise will be kicked off the stage.
The committee said it was “shocked to hear stories of sexual harassment revealed to it by women in the Malayalam film industry”.
“In the film industry, when a woman receives an offer for acting or other work, sexual favors are also required. As I have already mentioned, a woman will be asked to make adjustments and compromises that will require her to give in to sexual demands,” the report stated.
The Hema Committee quoted several women in the film industry as saying that when they go to work in movie theaters, they are often accompanied by their parents or close relatives because the need for sex is presented in conjunction with the provision of film opportunities, and therefore they are concerned about workplace safety. .
“In most of the hotels where they stayed, the people knocking on the door were cinema staff, probably mostly drunk. Many women said knocking on the door was neither polite nor decent, but they knocked on the door repeatedly and hard,” the report details introduced.
They allegedly felt on multiple occasions that the door would collapse and the man would force his way into the room.
The panel said that while many sexual acts against women in films are defined under the IPC and the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal of Sexual Harassment) (POSH) Act, women who have been subjected to atrocities prefer to keep their sexuality private. Behavior.
“If they take the matter to court or the police, they will face worse consequences, including threats to their lives,” added one artist. “It is not only the victims whose lives are at risk, but also their close family members,” the artist added. face danger.
The report further stated that serious cyber attacks would occur on social media the day after the complaint was filed.
The panel report also claimed that the Malayalam film industry is controlled by “criminal syndicates” and has “power relations” consisting of a handful of producers, directors, actors and production controllers.
The report made it clear that police should be registering crimes taking place in the industry, but many people are not turning up to court because they fear for their lives.
The panel was set up in the wake of the 2017 attack on an actress case involving actor Dileep to study sexual harassment and gender inequality in Malayalam cinema.
(This report has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from United News Agency-PTI)
