The long-awaited K. Hema Committee report on the conditions and tribulations faced by women within the Malayalam film industry was published on Monday, half a decade after it was initially submitted to the Kerala government. This report unearths unsettling accounts of sexual exploitation, illicit bans, discrimination, substance abuse, wage disparities, and at times, inhuman working environments that plague the industry.
Running 235 pages, the report has been released with the identities of both witnesses and accused parties shielded through redactions. The document paints a stark portrait of an industry gripped by certain male producers, directors, and actors, whom a noted actor has dubbed a “mafia.” This powerful clique purportedly has the influence to ostracize individuals from the industry entirely.
A key finding in the report validates long-running rumors concerning the “casting couch” culture. Alarmingly, in this industry, the demand for sexual favors can start even before a woman secures her first role, initiated by prominent industry figures offering roles in exchange for compliance. Some witnesses have provided concrete evidence in the form of video clips, audio recordings, and WhatsApp message screenshots to corroborate these claims of coercion.
Safety during filming is another grave concern. Women often feel endangered staying alone in accommodations provided during shoots, with inebriated men habitually knocking on their doors. Some women have even reported attempts to forcefully enter their rooms. One harrowing account details how a victim had to portray the spouse of her abuser the day after the assault, leading to significant emotional trauma.
Paranoid about the industry’s punitive repercussions, many committee respondents were hesitant to share their full experiences. The report highlights this climate of fear, stressing concerns not just for the women themselves, but also their close relatives. The gravity of these testimonies is such that many women had not even disclosed these ordeals to their families.
Approaching the police is a rare recourse, largely due to the potential wrath of the industry’s powerful factions and the threat of cyberattacks given their public profiles. This pervasive atmosphere of fear was evident when the Hema Committee established a WhatsApp group with industry dancers; almost all left the group after learning of its purpose. Junior artistes, frequently the most exploited, reacted similarly.
According to the report, producers are often instructed by the industry’s dominant factions not to hire actors who have fallen from their grace.
. The release of films can also be hindered, as the Film Chamber of Commerce’s No Objection Certificate (NOC) is required. Production controllers are instrumental in the banning process. Members of the Women in Cinema Collective (WCC), the organization that instigated the formation of the Hema Committee, have themselves faced bans for speaking out against the mistreatment of women.
The report also brings to light the deplorable lack of basic amenities on sets, such as changing rooms and toilet facilities, especially in outdoor locations. This negligence has led to numerous women suffering urinary infections. Alarmingly, some male witnesses, including a well-known actor, downplayed the importance of addressing these issues.
Junior artists face particularly severe conditions, sometimes enduring up to 19 hours of work in what the report describes as akin to slavery. Intermediaries frequently embezzle a significant portion of their payments, which are already delayed. In one egregious case involving a high-budget film, a 70-year-old woman who suffered serious burns in an on-set accident received no financial assistance for her medical care. Moreover, these junior artists are not affiliated with any protective film organizations.
The absence of written contracts further exacerbates the plight of actors and technicians, who are often denied even orally-promised remuneration. One cited example involves an actress portraying a title character who, after being coerced into performing an intimate scene, left the set unpaid. The director demanded her physical presence in Kochi to delete already filmed scenes, an ultimatum she refused.
Assistant and associate directors also suffer from poor remuneration despite months of tireless work, without receiving daily allowances. Their roles are ill-defined, and their strenuous pre-production efforts are often unrecognized. One witness recounted how a woman’s script centered on gender justice was so distorted by the director that she hesitated to claim authorship.
The Hema Committee report also criticizes Internal Complaints Committees (ICC), suggesting they can be easily manipulated by powerful individuals to dismiss or mishandle complaints. Concerns about the confidentiality of information disclosed to ICCs, especially if comprised of industry insiders, further distress complainants. The committee recommends that the government enact a statute and establish a tribunal to specifically address the myriad issues confronting women in cinema.
