- By Ridhi Suri
- Sat, 31 Aug 2024 09:18 AM (IST)
- Source:JND
The Malayalam film industry has been profoundly shaken by a major scandal following the release of the Justice Hema Committee report on August 19. The report unveiled extensive harassment, exploitation, and mistreatment of female professionals, highlighting serious issues such as sexual harassment, the casting couch, pay imbalances, and lobbying practices. In response, numerous actors have courageously shared their own distressing experiences, implicating notable industry figures. Consequently, the entire 17-member executive committee of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA), including president Mohanlal, resigned en masse on August 27.
Mohanlal’s resignation was prompted by a sense of moral responsibility amidst allegations of sexual misconduct involving members of the association’s leadership. Reacting to which, Sajitha Madathil, actor and one of the founding members of the Women in Cinema Collective, said, 'Although this matter is not directly related to the Women in Cinema Collective, as an outsider, I can speculate that there might be several reasons behind their resignation. One possibility is that they may be trying to avoid further scrutiny or public attention, possibly due to concerns about additional allegations that could emerge against other members of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA).'
"Their resignation appears to be an attempt to avoid responsibility. They should have stayed and worked towards resolving the issues and supporting the victims. It’s disappointing to see them step away instead of taking on the responsibility of addressing the problems. It’s very sad. They are powerful people. Mohanlal is a respectable person in the industry. He should have taken the initiative to clear the situation. We were expecting that. Mammootty never spoke anything about it (Hema committee report). B. Unnikrishnan, actor-director and FEFKA leader, he too never talked about it, just issued a press release. Mammootty’s silence is also very sad," she said, according to HT.
She added, "However, it’s also a positive development in some ways. In 2017, women didn’t even have the space to discuss these issues. When we (WCC) tried to address support for women in the industry back then, the response was dismissive. When we asked for support for Bhavana (Menon), they were not even bothered, they wouldn't even listen. But now, there seems to be more recognition that these issues can’t be ignored and they can't get away from this discussion. The resignation and the findings have opened up space for dialogue and for women to be heard. This is a step forward."
Further, she stressed, "Initially, when we raised concerns about sexual harassment within the industry, both AMMA and the Film Employees Federation of Kerala (FEFKA) dismissed these claims, insisting that no issues were occurring. As a result, we decided to approach the government and request the formation of the Hema Committee to conduct a comprehensive investigation. While the Women in Cinema Collective (WCC) has made progress, the impact has been slow. The Hema Committee report has uncovered a broad spectrum of issues beyond sexual harassment, including problems with wage contracts, working hours, and shooting schedules, which had not been thoroughly addressed before. Now that these issues are officially documented, there is increased focus on resolving them."