Sexual abuse in Malayalam film industry: Hema committee report leads to Siddique, Ranjith exits I Story so far

A probe panel's report into sexual abuse has shaken and stirred the Malayalam film industry in the south Indian state of Kerala. The Hema Committee report, released to the public on August 19, has led to a further flurry of allegations against some of the most prominent names in Kerala filmdom.

Following such claims, director Ranjith quit as chairman of the government-run Kerala Chalachitra Academy, whereas veteran actor Siddique resigned as general secretary of the movie actors' association AMMA, or Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes.

Hema Committee report: The background

What set the cat among the pigeonswas some of the shocking findings of the Hema committee report, which was set upin the wake of a kidnap and sexual assault on a famous actress by a bunch of thugs on a moving vehicle in 2017, for which then superstar Dileep was the prime accused. Dileep went in and out of jail and continued the legal battle, even as his career continued more or less unimpeded, though not to the extentof stardom that he had enjoyed from the late 1990s till the year of the assault.

AMMA, time and again, appeared to dilly-dally on the issue of sexual assault and exploitation of female stars and aspiring artists, in some cases openly defending accused persons like Dileep.

While a bunch of male actors joined the chorus against sexual exploitation, most of them were either sidelined or quietened down.

Culture Minister Saji Cheriyan and Law Minister P Rajeeve said that action will be taken against the accused only if formal complaints are filed. Another minister, MB Rajesh, said the government will seek legal advice on filing a legal complaint against Siddique and Ranjith.

What are the allegations that came to light after Hema Committee report?

Revathy Sampath, a young actress, alleged that Siddique raped her in a hotel room in 2016. She said she was not interested in a legal battle unless survivors of sexual assault are given protection by the government. Siddique, after quitting his post in AMMA, has lodged a police complaint against Sampath.

Sreelekha Mitra, a Bengali actress, accused Ranith of trying to sexually molest her during a film discussion.

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Since the committee report was released, several actors have been accused of some sort of sexual harassment in the past, including Riyaz Khan, Baburaj, Mukesh, Maniyanpilla Raju and Jayasurya.

While the casting couch is not unheard of in the Kerala film industry, the bravery of women who are coming forward to speak up about sexual exploitation in Tinsel Town is unprecedented.

What is the Hema Committee, and what are its findings?

Hema Committee was formed by the Kerala government in 2017 to look into the issue of sexual harassment and gender inequality in the Malayalam film industry. The committee, whose other members are veteran actress Sharada and former civil service officer KB Valsalakumari, was formed a few months after the February 2017 kidnap and sexual assault of the young actress in which actor Dileep is the prime accused.

Though the report was submitted to Chief Minister Vijayan in 2019, it did not see the light of the day until court complaints led to its release.

The report was released this month with many parts redacted, to preserve the privacy of some individuals.

The report found that sexual favours were being asked of women who wanted toenter the film industry and find work.
It said sexual assault, abuse and harassment at the workplace were commonplace for women.

It highlighted the lack of basic amenities for women like female-only restrooms and changing rooms.

It put the spotlight on general male dominance in the industry.

It noted that often, complaints are not recorded in writing.

(With inputs from agencies)