"Selfish Motive": Hema Committee On WCC Founding Member's Evidence (image: unsplash)

After five years of its submission, the Kerala government released the redacted version of the Justice Hema Committee report on Monday. It sheds light on the sexual harassment and exploitation, power group, and mafia control existing in the Malayalam film industry.

The report also stresses upon undeclared banning in movies. “Banning in cinema is a reality, as seen from evidence, both oral and documentary, placed before the committee.” The Women in Cinema Collective (WCC), organisation for women working in Malayalam film industry, stated before the committee that they were banned from cinema because they openly spoke against atrocities happening in the industry and from the Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes (AMMA).

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The members in the Collective has also argued that since they openly spoke about various prevailing issues, producers afraid to take them into movies since latter think that by opting them, they would be upsetting the powerful members of AMMA.

“On an analysis of what has been stated before us, we are convinced that members of WCC are generally not considered for working in cinema for the mere reason that they are members of WCC who protested against atrocities in cinema,” the Committee stated in the report.

On the contrary, a WCC founding member is receiving several offers in cinema, the Committee said. She is the only woman who stated repeatedly that there is no problem for women in cinema and that “she has not even heard about any sexual harassment on any women in cinema etc., which is far from truth.” Analysing her claims, the Committee came to an understanding that she is not revealing against men or the industry because of “her selfish motive” not to get removed from the Malayalam movies. “No value can be attached to evidence of such an actress,” the report added.

Justice Hema Commission was constituted to look into the issues faced by women in the Malayalam film industry. The commission was formulated after the WCC members met Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in the wake of the 2017 actress assault incident. Helmed by retired Justice K Hema, veteran actor Sarada and former IAS officer KB Valsala Kumari were other two members of the commission.

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The committee submitted its report to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on December 31, 2019. The Kerala government spent Rs 1.06 crore for this committee. Though the actual report spans around 300 pages, after omitting 83 pages and removing the names of the witnesses and accused, a 235-page report was submitted for release.