Casting couches, no toilets on sets, cinema mafia: Hema Committee report reveals shocking conditions of women in Malayalam cinema

The Kerala government on Monday released the Justice K Hema Committee Report that revealed widespread sexual harassment of women in Malayalam cinema.

The report was released to the media under the RTI Act after it was filed five years ago. It is the result of a government-appointed panel in 2019 to look into reported accounts of harassment faced by women artists in Malayalam cinema.

The report, seen by HerStory, contained some shocking revelations of sexual harassment, inhumane conditions for female artistes on sets and sheds light on various violations of human rights at the workplace.

However, no names of the perpetrators or victims were mentioned. The report clarified, “This is done to protect the interests and welfare of both men and women and the industry itself. Our function is only to study the issues relating to women in cinema not name or shame anybody or expose the guilty.”

The report pointed out that the harassment of women starts right as they enter the industry. From statements of various witnesses examined by the committee, a woman approaching for a role is told she has to "make adjustments and to compromise", two familiar terms among women in the Malayalam film industry. They are also asked to be available for sex on demand, the report stated.

Some of the witnesses also produced certain video clips, audio clips, screenshots of their very entry into cinema and that certain people in the industry persuade them to make themselves available for sex. Many women emphatically stated before the committee that this situation in cinema should be stopped.

Some of them stated that they were forced to reject such offer in cinema, at the cost of losing their long-waiting dream of acting in cinema, though it is their passion, the report added.

The report added that on analysis of evidence, the Committee was satisfied that women face sexual harassment from well-known people in the industry. Many artistes have stated they are often accompanied by their parents for close relatives on sets, since demand for sex is made along with an offer for a role, they are apprehensive of their safety in the workplace.

“In most of the hotels they stayed in, people from cinema would knock on the doors under intoxication,” it cited as an example.

Inhumane working conditions and powerful lobby

The report also stated that several women that deposed earlier spoke about the denial of basic human rights. They were not provided adequate facilities like toilets and changing rooms on shooting locations.

“Almost all the women who were examined before the Committee stated that there is no toilet facility or changing room on the set, especially shooting is done in many outdoor locations,” it said. Women looked for secluded places like a forest or relieved themselves behind bushes. At times, they changed under the cover of a cloth held by others.

Many witnesses stated that they do not drink water on the set so that they don’t have the urge to relieve themselves, despite being aware that it would lead to physical ailments. This problem was faced by actresses, junior artists and support staff like stylists, and caravans were only provided for the exclusive use of actresses.

The report also alluded to a powerful lobby or mafia in Malayalam cinema, as revealed by a prominent actor.

“They could do anything in cinema, according to their whims and fancies and even ban very prominent directors, producers, actors or any other person though such ban is illegal and unauthorised,” it said.

It also disclosed that even outspoken women in cinema were reluctant and hesitant to divulge their experiences of sexual harassment, because they fear they would be banned and subjected to harassment.

“By using fans and fan clubs, they would cause severe online harassment against them in social media. They would also face threat to life, not only to themselves but, even to the close family members also, it is stated by various witnesses. They are thus, silenced in cinema,” it stated.

The Justice Hema Committee Report has admitted that even if an ICC can be constituted in cinema, strictly in terms of the provisions of the Act, it will not be of any help to women but would create more harm to them.

"We have absolutely no hesitation to state that there must be an independent forum which must be constituted by the government as per a statute, to deal with the problems of women in cinema. Then and then alone the women can be liberated from the evils of Malayalam film industry,” it said.