Delhi: While one part of India is worried about the increase in rape cases and hitting the streets in protest, the other, Kerala’s film industry, is roiled by allegations of sexual exploitation. With this, the Me Too movement has begun in Malayalam cinema.
There were no surprises as Malayalam superstar and revered actor Mohanlal resigned on August 27 as the president of the influential Association of Malayalam Movie Artists, popularly known as AMMA, over the association’s handling of sexual abuse charges in the Kerala film industry. Mohanlal and 17 other executive members stepped down en masse from the artists’ association, citing moral responsibility. A new executive committee will be formed in two months. Their resignations came in the wake of the recent release of the Justice Hema Committee report, which highlighted allegations of sexual misconduct in the Malayalam film industry over the years by male actors. It is important to note that Mohanlal is not facing any charges.
Justice Hema Committee Report
In 2017, a three-member committee headed by retired Kerala High Court judge Justice K Hema was formed by the Kerala government following a petition by the Women in Cinema Collective (WCC) to the Kerala chief minister, demanding a probe into the abduction and sexual assault of a prominent actress and gender inequality in the film industry. Popular actor Dileep was accused of staging the kidnapping and assault in 2017, and his membership in AMMA had become a flashpoint then. The members of both associations, AMMA and WCC, often clashed when actor Dileep was reinstated in AMMA in 2018. The women’s organisation had blamed AMMA for standing by Dileep and not the survivor of the assault.
Now, the tide has turned. Within days of the release of the Hema Committee report, actresses have come forward and alleged sexual harassment by reputed male actors like Siddique and director Ranjith. Actress Minu Muneer levelled sexual harassment charges against popular actors M Mukesh and Jayasurya, alleging she was subjected to verbal and physical abuse during the shooting of a film. Bengali actor Sreelekha Mitra filed a complaint against filmmaker Ranjith for inappropriate behaviour. Actor Siddique was accused of sexual abuse by actress Revathy Sampath, who in turn filed a complaint against her with the Kerala police chief, citing “criminal conspiracy to fabricate and spread false allegations against him.”
Victims In Public Domain
“In 2013, I was subjected to physical and verbal abuse by these individuals while working on a project. I tried to cooperate and continue working, but the abuse became unbearable. As a result, I was forced to leave the Malayalam film industry and relocate to Chennai. I am now seeking justice and accountability for the trauma and suffering I endured,” Muneer said in a Facebook post.
Following severe criticism after the findings of the report, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been formed to investigate the hardships faced by women in the Malayalam film industry. “A Special Investigation Team formed to investigate the hardships faced by women in the film industry convened at the police headquarters to outline the continuation of the probe. The SIT has been strengthened by including additional women officers. All related cases registered at local police stations are to be handed over to the SIT for further investigation,” said the Kerala Police in its statement.
No matter what the outcome of the current crisis facing the Malayalam film industry, it’s an eye-opener for all other film industries. After the “Me Too” movement, women will not stay silent and put up with inappropriate behaviour by their male counterparts. And silence is no longer an option for prominent actors. They must stand up for their female colleagues and speak up for them to make the industry a safe place.
