By our Coreespondent
Kochi, Aug 29 (IVC) Justice K Hema Committee’s controversial report has opened the ‘Pandora’s box in the Malayalam Film industry. The report has only partially released.
The Hema Committee consisted of three members studied the issues faced by women in the Malayalam Film Industry. It was constituted in 2017 based on a petition submitted by the Kerala-based Women in Cinema Collective. The Committee submitted its report on Dec 31, 20l9. It was partially released on Aug 19 , 2024after redacting several paragraphs and it contained unsurprising yet disturbing revelation about the state of affairs in the film industry –discrimination, exploitation and sexual harassment of women.
By now the Kerala Chalachitra Academy Chairman, Ranjith and General Secretary of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes (AMMA), Siddique were forced to resign under the impact on them with complaints of sexual abuse by the actresses.
The Governing body of the AMMA consisted of seventeen members en masse tendered their resignation and dissolved the AMMA body as result of the publication of report. Opposition Party leader V D Satheeshan was pressing for the resignation of the Kollam CPI(M) MLA M Mukesh following serious sexual abuse allegation. For the same reason a Congress party leader tenderes his resignation today.
If this is the position of the Malayalam Film Industry, what would have been the confusion and convulsion of the leaders in case the report was published in full was beyond image of a sensible person.
The Committee’s full report was not released on flimsy and flippant grounds. The report contained 290 pages of which only 233 pages had been released, the contents of the remaining 57 pages had been kept secret.There were unconfirmed media reports that these pages contained the names of the leaders and the so called superstars of the industry
The official version of the Government for not publishing the report in full earlier was that Justice had objected in writing to publishing the report in full. Though the report was handed to the Chief Minister on Dec 31, 2019, the Justice did not give the letter along with the report. It was given on Feb 19,2020.
According to Mr Satheeshan, the delay in releasing the report was with a deliberate intention of protecting certain leaders in the industry who supported CPI(M).
Satheeshan asked the Chief Minister Why the report kept with him for one of the month and 20 days sans action. The opposition leader further alleged that the letter dated Feb 19, 2020 was the result of a conspiracy. It was proved following the en masse resignation of the Governing body of AMMA on Aug. 27 after an on line meeting.
The letter stated to have been given to the Chief Minister objecting the publication of the report was not binding as it was not given along with the report. Moreover, the report of Hema Committee was not binding, according to official version.
The sources close to the industry here said “ the report has put the AMMA into a cul de sac and resignations of the Governing were not a roper solution. How many more heads of the industry leaders would be rolled in this regard could not be said now. Day by day fresh allegations are coming out from the Pandora’s box submitted by Justice Hema, the sources said.
Let us wait and see what the Honorable High Court of Kerla would say in the matter, the sources added.
