MeToo Movement In Malayalam Film Industry Finds Support Among New Actors, But Why Are Mohanlal & Mammootty Silent?

An unfortunate fact that comes in light of the Justice Hema Committee report is that most of the controversies that have come to light happened during a golden period in Malayalam movies.

An unfortunate fact that comes in light of the Justice Hema Committee report is that most of the controversies that have come to light happened during a golden period in Malayalam movies.

Source : IMDb

New Delhi: The Hema Committee report has shaken up the entire Malayalam film industry. The Justice Hema Committee's report sheds light on the plight of women artistes in the industry who have undergone sexual atrocities, harrassment, gender bias, pay parity, amid other things that have created a huge gap in the way men and women work. While many actors, particularly women have raised their voices and shown support towards it, many leading actors have remained silent. The Hema Committee's report was released on August 19, 2024 after four-and-a-half years since it was first submitted to the Kerala government in the aftermath of the 2017 Kerala-rape case of a leading actress in a moving car.

Who have come under fire from the Justice Hema Committee report?

Many leading figures, actors and general secretary of Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) had come under fire among allegations of sexual harassment made by women artistes in the industry.

 As per the report, alteast 17 forms of exploitation experienced by women, who work in the Malayalam film industry have faced. Among the few prominent names that have come up, here are some.

Jayasurya

Jayasurya, actor with the most perfect family-man image, also came under fire when on August 28, 2024, an FIR was lodged against Jayasurya on charges of assault or criminal force on a woman with an intent to outrage her modesty. The complainant, a female actor, also named other leading actors like M Mukesh, Edavela Babu ( AMMA member) and Maniyanpilla Raju in her complaint.

Director Ranjith

Allegations against the director became public after the release of the Justice Hema Committee report  on August 19, 2024. Ranjith has been accused of attempting to molest a Bengali actress in 2009 during the discussion of the film, 'Palerimanikyam'.

The actress had not taken legal action at the time due to lack of support and logistical challenges but in view of the Justice Hema Committee Report's release, she decided to share her experience.

Gopi, the action-hero, has also been under fire and has been quite aggresive on certain occasions to keep the media away.

Actors like Maniyan Pilla Raju, Edavela Babu, Baburaj, Siddique and others have also been accused in cases of sexual harassment.

Mohanlal & Mammootty

While Mohanlal commented on the findings of the report and the state of Malayalam film industry in general, as President of the AMMA, his resignation has been viewed by a section of netizens as escapist.

AMMA, on the other hand, originally formed as a welfare organization to support the artists, now is believed to have become a 'punishing' system of sorts. As per the Hema Committee report, the AMMA has assumed mafia-like proportions.

As many members were accused of sexual exploitation, including the general secretary Siddique, the entire AMMA was dissolved with Mohanlal stepping down.

Mammooty, another star that has shaped and been the face of the industry for so long, and has been looked up to for leadership among other things, has also been largely absent barring a statement denying the presence of any power group in Malayalam cinema.

Mohanlal and Mammootty's silence, predominantly at a time when they have been looked upon as strongmen who guide the industry, has been frowned upon by many.

Tamil industry's silence

While the Hema Committee report has sent ripples across other film industries, movie veterans from other industries have also remained largely silent.

Only recently, Tamil superstar Rajinikanth stated that he did not know about the Hema Committee report. Many other stars , including Vijay and Kamal Haasan, from the Tamil film industry have chosen to stay silent in the heat of discussions and legal actions that have now stemmed ever since the committee’s report went public.

WCC

Women in Cinema Collective (WCC) has, on the other hand, been instrumental in getting the Hema Committee report out in the open. The courage shown by many men and women( junior artists) and several others who have spoken in open about the sexual harrassment allegations will remind Indian fans and audiences of the #The MeToo movement that shook Hollywood a few years ago.

While the veterans have chosen to stay silent, a new generation of Malayali actors and superstars have commented on the Hema Committee report . 

New generation of Malayalam superstars taking charge

At a press meet, as part of the launch of his football club, Prithviraj Sukumaran was quoted by Manorama as saying, "The findings of the report should be treated very seriously. It is important to punish those who have committed sexual abuse. Those in power should step aside while facing such allegations.”

"I cannot deny there is no organised power group within the industry because I have not faced the issue. Action should be taken if such an organised activity to ban artists is prevalent in the industry,” he added.

Many fans also anticipate a change in leadership as far as handing the baton of industry and a safe working space for women artistes is concerned. 

Besides Sukumaran, Tovino Thomas has also publicly addresses allegations advocating accountability and more. 

"Those who are accused must step down. If found guilty, they should be punished accordingly. Wrongdoers, no matter whether they are big stars or not, must face consequences,”Thomas had told reporters in Malayalam, Gulf News reported, at the time the findings of the report came to light.

Unfortunately, amid the new geneartion, superstar Fahadh Faasil has also chosen not to comment on the findings of the Justice Hema Commitee report and others.  

Parvathy Thiruvothu, another celebrated actor from the new generation of Malayali superstars, and member of the WCC has called the Justice Hema Committee report's findings 'historic' and 'game changer'and has encouraged women who have been harrassed by the system to come forward and speak.

Many are looking forward at the new generation of Malyalali superstars to take charge and lead the AMMA by bringing forth a safe working space for all genders involved.

15 years of not-so glorious Malayalam cinema

An unfortunate fact that comes in light of the Justice Hema Committee report is that most of the controversies that have come to light happened during a golden period in Malayalam movies. Over the last 15 years, the industry has been releasing one high-quality movie after another. 

However, with the Hema Committee report coming out from a state, where many are trying to clean up an industry known for many such cases of harassment that have come to light every now and then, this is a landmark move.

Perhaps, with the Justice Hema Committee report, many other industries will follow suit and take some intiative to investigate matters of similar nature and come with a transparent system of working that is respected by all.