Highlights
Latest Updates:
As of 28th August
On August 28th, the Kerala Film Employees Federation (FEFKA) demanded that the names of the accused in the Justice Hema Committee Report be made public. They also promised to support the victims legally and emotionally. Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, VD Satheesan, accused the Kerala government of trying to protect some celebrities by not fully revealing the Hema Committee Report.
As of 27th August
Recently, on August 27th, Malayalam superstar Mohanlal resigned from his position as president of the AMMA actors’ association, along with 16 others.
A big issue has come up in the Malayalam movie world. Some new actresses said that famous actors and movie people were treating them badly and touching them in wrong ways. They said this was happening when they tried to get movie roles. A group called AMMA, which is for Malayalam actors, didn’t do much about these complaints at first. This made a lot of people angry. The government then asked a team, led by a person named Hema, to look into this problem. Their report is now making news all over India. Because of all this trouble, the head of AMMA, a very famous actor named Mohanlal, has quit his job. Sixteen other important people in AMMA have also left. Recently, an actress named Minu Muneer said four famous actors Mukesh, Maniyanpilla Raju, Idavela Babu, and Jayasurya did bad things to her. When other big actors didn’t say anything about this, it made the problem even bigger. This whole situation is now being talked about a lot, not just in Kerala but all over India.
Hema Committee Report:
The Government of Kerala had set up the Hema Committee in 2017 after a ghastly abduction and assault on a well-known actress shook the conscience of the world, passing on in dim light to the film world the tales of harassment and exploitation, mostly unreported. The committee headed by actress Hema was to investigate the problems that have been haunting the industry, interviewing more than 100 odd women in the industry comprising actresses, technicians, and women employees.
The report was submitted in 2019 and resurfaced almost two years later, showcasing the inherent misogyny and play of power, unsafe working environment for women in the industry. Quite shockingly, the findings brought out that a large number of women had been victims of harassment, abuse, and exploitation and had no place to seek help. Further, the report also mentioned that most of the production houses did not have an internal complaints committee, that is compulsorily to be established under Indian law.
Actress Interview:
Actress Divya Gopina spoke to NDTV about problems in the Malayalam film industry. She shared her own experience of being a victim of inappropriate behavior. In 2016-2017, during a film shoot in Bangalore, a senior actor named Alanchier Lillopas tried to molest her in her room. He pushed her onto the bed and tried to hug her, but she managed to escape and threatened to call for help. The actor then brushed it off as a joke. Divya filed complaints with the Justice Hema Committee and AMMA (Association of Malayalam Movie Artists) in 2018, but hasn’t received any official response yet. She believes the industry has a problem with powerful people mistreating those with less power. Divya also mentioned another case where AMMA’s General Secretary faced similar sexual assault allegations. She thinks it’s important for people in official positions to resign when they’re under investigation for such serious matters.
Involved Celebrities:
Some of the recent high profile members of AMMA (Association of Malayalam Movie Artists) have recently quit the organization due to charges of sexual harassment.
- Supporting actress accused actor Siddique of sexual harassment and as a result Siddique stepped down from the post of Vice President of AMMA. After this, Director Ranjith who was the President of Kerala Chalachitra Academy also resigned from his post.
- Siddique was replaced by Baburaj who also quit the post after a co-actor accused him of verbal harassment and sexual harassment.
- The actor Mohanlal and 16 other members of AMMA released a statement saying that they wish for a new president to take over who can reform and revamp the organization.
- Another actor and a MLA Mukesh has also been charged with sexual harassment. Manian Pillai Raju, Itavela Abu, Mukesh and Jayasuriya are charged with the complaint filed by actress Minu Muneer. People demonstrated in front of Mukesh’s house but he has not addressed them, which has created debate.
- Actress Geeta Vijayan has accused Tulsidas of harassing her sexually during a shoot. The second actress, Srivethika also complained that Tulsidas harassed her on the set of the show.
All these actresses have spoken out concerning harassment which has led to a number of resignations as well as demands for change within the association.
AMMA Association Group Resignations:
The Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) in India has witnessed some changes in the recent past. The whole of the leadership team including the president Mohanlal resigned in one instance. This has resulted in various responses from people in the movie industries. While some are happy about this they are expecting that it will bring in young people in leadership positions who can do a better job. But some believe that it was not proper to resign all at once. They think it is as if they are failing the people who elected them into power. Two of the actors, Sarayu and Ananya, who were part of the leadership team, stated that they did not consent to resign. They say that such a decision was made without consulting them. But the old leaders argue that such complaints are irrelevant now because the whole team has been dismissed.
The news that has been making rounds is that the actor Prithviraj Sukumaran might be the new leader of AMMA. Yet another actor, Jagadish, appreciated Prithviraj and said that he has principles which are very strong. Some people are also referring to a document known as the Hema Committee Report. This report is about the sexual harassment by some influential personalities in the movie industry towards the ladies. Former government minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar said this report proves that there are issues in the industry that require rectification. The news also says that Mukesh, an actor, and politician might have to quit his government position if there is a case against him.
First FIR Registered:
In 2009, a well-known Bengali actress named Srileka Mitra filed a complaint against director Ranjith with the Kochi Police. She did this by sending an email. After her complaint, the police registered a First Information Report (FIR) against Ranjith. She accused him of behaving inappropriately when she went to his home to discuss a film. Unhappy with his behavior, she left and returned to Kolkata. Director Ranjith denied the accusations, claiming he was unfairly blamed.
In response to ongoing issues like these, the Kerala government has formed a special 7-member committee to investigate and take action against sexual harassment in the film industry, especially targeting cases involving young actresses. This committee, led by the Chief Minister of Kerala, is focused on addressing sexual harassment and discrimination against women in the film industry.
How Celebrities are Reacting:
Actress and director Revathi has been speaking out against crimes against women in the film industry for many years. She started a group called Women in Cinema Collective (WCC) to raise awareness. She has also criticized famous Malayalam actors Mohanlal and Mammootty for not addressing these issues.
Actor Prithviraj Sukumaran said on August 26th that if the accused are proven guilty, they should receive severe punishment to prevent future crimes.
Actor Tovino Thomas added that criminals must face justice, and women need protection in all fields, not just in the film industry.
Actress Khushpu has also spoken out about sexual violence on her X site.
💔 This moment of #MeToo prevailing in our industry breaks you. Kudos to the women who have stood their ground and emerged victorious. ✊ The #HemaCommittee was much needed to break the abuse. But will it?
— KhushbuSundar (@khushsundar) August 28, 2024
Abuse, asking for sexual favors, and expecting women to compromise to…
Actress Parvathy has been protesting against sexual abuse since 2017 and is active in the WCC. She has shared her thoughts on this on Instagram.
