“All Of This Started, Because One Woman…”: Geetu Mohandas
Actor-director Geetu Mohandas commented on the recent developments in Malayalam film industry following the revelations in the Hema Committee report.
“Let’s just not forget. All of this started coz one woman actually had the gumption to fight,” she said in a Facebook post. The Moothon director was referring to the fights of an assault survivor actress who came forward against actor Dileep years ago.
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The actress was attacked while traveling in a car, and later the state government formed the Hema Committee to find out the atrocities in the film industry based on the complaint filed by the actress. The Justice Hema Committee report, that was prepared after a detailed study of discrimination faced by women in cinema, was handed over to the government on December 31, 2019.
The leading actress assault made headlines, especially after, Dileep, one of the Malayalam film industry’s biggest actors was named as an accused and charged with criminal conspiracy. Though he had denied the charges, he was arrested and was held in custody for three months before being released on bail. The case continues to be heard in court.
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The landmark report revealing the problems faced by women in Malayalam film industry disclosed the deep rot in one of India’s most popular film hubs.
The findings of the three-membered panel headed by a former Kerala High Court judge was pretty damning. The 290 page report, parts of which were removed to hide identities of survivors and those accused of wrongdoings, stated that the industry is dominated by “a mafia of powerful men” and that “sexual harassment of women is rampant”.
The reports also gave in detailed accounts of abysmal working condition including lack of toilets and changing rooms for junior artists, no food and water for them, poor pay and no accommodation or transport facilities.
The report submitted in 2019 was made public last week after five years of delay and multiple legal challenges by members of the film industry.
