Justice Hema Committee Report Reveals Exploitation in Malayalam Film Industry, Kerala Opposition Demands Probe

Hours after criticising Justice K. Hema’s Committee Report on the conditions of women working in the Malayalam film industry, the opposition leader, V.D. Satheesan slammed the Pinarayi Vijayan government. The report containing shocking revelations on how women in the film industry are being sexually exploited, was finally released on Monday.  The report was kept under wraps for over five years after it was first presented to the government in 2019. Widespread debate has been generated for the 235-page document, 65 of which have been redacted to preserve individual privacy.
The state government spent Rs 1.50 crore on the report that Justice Hema (retd), who was appointed by the Vijayan government in 2017, presented in 2019. Even still, the report was only made public on Monday following a protracted court battle, despite last-minute attempts to postpone its release.
“This is a grave crime done by the Vijayan government and we wish to know why was this report kept in cold storage. Was it to save those who did the exploitation? The need of the hour is a special police probe team headed by a top woman IPS official and bring to book all the wrong-doers, whosoever they are and wherever they are placed,” said Satheesan.
Saji Cherian, the state minister of culture and films, noted that in his more than three years in office, he has not received any complaints regarding exploitation. “Now a report has been published and it speaks of such things, but I am ready to order a probe if there is any complaint. I wish to inform all that no one needs to be worried and any woman coming with a complaint will face no duress,” he said.
“We are holding a conclave in the next few months wherein all leading lights of the film industry from various segments will be invited and a threadbare discussion will take place and all burning issues will be addressed,” Cherian added.
Inside Justice Hema Committee Report
The Hema Committee’s 289-page report’s opening reads – “The sky is full of mysteries; with the twinkling stars and the beautiful moon. But, scientific investigation revealed that stars do not twinkle nor does the moon look beautiful. The study, therefore, cautions: Do not trust what you see, even salt looks like sugar.”
It further read – “The experiences which many women have gone through in cinema are really shocking and are of such gravity that they had not disclosed those details even to the close family members. Surprisingly, in the course of our study, we came to know that certain men also had suffered a lot of issues in the industry and many of them, including some very prominent artistes, were unauthorisedly banned from working in cinema for a considerable length of time. It was shocking to know that the sole reason for such unauthorised banning was due to very silly reasons. They would have knowingly or unknowingly ‘invited wrath of one or other person from the powerful lobby in the industry, which rules the industry.”
“The major issue which women face in the film industry is sexual harassment. It is the worst evil which women in cinema face in the film industry. Most of the women in cinema, who are known to be very bold, are reluctant to divulge their bad experiences in cinema, particularly of sexual harassment. They are scared to disclose it even to their colleagues in the cinema, fearing consequences which they may have to face. They are afraid that if they divulge their issues to others, they will be banned from cinema and subjected to other harassment since such persons are powerful in cinema and all men in cinema will stand together by them. By using fans and fan clubs, there would be severe online harassment against them (women artistes) on social media. They would also face a threat to life, not only to themselves but, even to their close family members also, it is stated by various witnesses. They are thus, silenced in cinema,” the Justice Hema report stated.
“According to women in cinema, the harassment starts from the very inception. It is revealed from the statements of various witnesses who were examined before the committee that the production controller or whoever gives an offer for a role in cinema first’ approaches the woman/girl or if it is the other way and, a woman approaches any person in cinema seeking a chance in cinema, she is told that she has to make ‘adjustments’ and ‘compromise’ to take her in cinema. ‘Compromise’ and ‘adjustment’ are two terms which are very familiar among women in the Malayalam film industry and they are asked to make themself available for sex on demand, ” it went onto read further.
“There may be instances of consensual sex, but women in cinema generally, are not willing to share a bed to get a chance in cinema. Another witness stated before the committee that there may also be women who would be willing to adjust to the demands and she herself has seen certain mothers who are conniving at the situation and believe that there is nothing wrong with it. The witness stated that this is a shocking reality. According to women in cinema, it is a sad state of affair that a woman has to surrender to sexual demands for her to get a job in cinema whereas there is no such state of affair in any other field, it was pointed out by many witnesses who are examined before the committee,” concluded the report.
(With IANS inputs)