Thiruvananthapuram: Hours after the Justice K Hema committee report on the status of women working in the Malayalam film industry, which contains shocking revelations about sexual exploitation of women in the film industry, was finally released on Monday, Kerala Leader of Opposition VD Satheesan criticised the Pinarayi Vijayan government for keeping the report in cold storage since 2019.
Justice Hema (retired) submitted his report in 2019 after being appointed by the Vijayan government in 2017 and it cost the state government Rs 1.50 crore. However, the report was released only on Monday after a long legal battle, even though there were last-minute attempts to delay its release.
“This is a serious crime committed by the Vijayan government and we want to know why this report was shelved. Was it aimed at protecting the exploiters? The need of the hour is to form a special police investigation team headed by a top woman IPS officer and punish all the wrongdoers, whoever they are and wherever they are,” Satheeshan said.
Incidentally, state Culture and Film Minister Saji Cherian said he has been the minister for the last three years and till date he has not received any complaint of any kind of exploitation.
He said, “Now a report has been published and such things have been said in it, but if there is any complaint then I am ready to order an inquiry. I want to inform everyone that no one needs to worry and no woman who comes with a complaint will have to face any pressure.”
“We are going to organise a conference in the next few months in which all the prominent people of the film industry from different fields will be invited and detailed discussions will be held and all the burning issues will be taken up,” Cherian said.
The introduction of the 289-page report of the Hema Committee states: “The sky is full of mysteries; from twinkling stars and the beautiful moon. But, scientific investigation has shown that the stars do not twinkle nor does the moon look beautiful. Therefore, the study warns: ‘Do not trust what you see, even salt looks like sugar.'”
It added, “The experiences that many women in cinema have faced are indeed shocking and so severe that they did not even disclose these details to their close family members. Surprisingly, during our study, we found out that some men too had faced several problems in the industry and many of them, including some very prominent artistes, were unofficially banned from working in cinema for a considerable period of time. It was shocking to know that the only reason for such unofficial ban was a very silly reason. They must have knowingly or unknowingly invited the wrath of someone or the other of the powerful lobby in the industry, who rules the industry.”
Justice Hema’s report said, “The biggest problem faced by women in the film industry is sexual harassment. This is the biggest evil that women face in cinema. Most of the women in cinema, who are considered very bold, are reluctant and hesitant to tell about their bad experiences in cinema, especially sexual harassment. They are afraid to tell their colleagues in cinema about it too, as they may have to face consequences. They fear that if they tell their issues to others, they will be banned from cinema and face other harassment, as such people are powerful in cinema and all men in cinema will stand with them. By using fans and fan clubs, severe online harassment will be done against them (female artistes) on social media. They will face life threat not only for themselves but also for their close family members, as stated by various witnesses. Thus, they are silenced in cinema.”
“According to women in cinema, harassment starts right from the beginning. Statements of various witnesses examined before the committee revealed that the production controller or whoever makes the first offer for a role in cinema approaches the woman/girl or if it is the other way round and, a woman approaches any person in cinema to get a chance in cinema, she is told that she has to ‘adjust’ and ‘compromise’ in order to get her in cinema. ‘Compromise’ and ‘adjustment’ are two words which are very familiar among women in the Malayalam film industry and they are asked to make themselves available for sex on demand.”
The report said, “There may be instances of consensual sex, but women working in cinema are generally not willing to share a bed to get a chance in cinema. Another witness before the committee said that there may be women who are willing to adjust to the demands and she herself has seen some mothers who are complicit in this situation and believe that there is nothing wrong in it. This is a shocking truth, the witness said. According to women working in cinema, it is a sad situation that a woman has to succumb to sexual demands to get work in cinema while there is no such situation in any other field, many witnesses examined before the committee pointed this out.”
