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“The sky is full of mysteries; with the twinkling stars and the beautiful moon. But, scientific investigation revealed that stars do not twinkle nor does the moon look beautiful. The study therefore, cautions: ‘Do not trust what you see, even salt looks like sugar!’”
These are the first sentences of the Hema Committee report, released on August 19, which exposes the repulsive reality of sexual harassment and the casting couch in the Malayalam film industry.
The committee, headed by Justice K. Hema, reveals the dilapidated state of women in the Malayalam film industry, where instances of casting couch, demand for sexual favours, and sexual assault are prevalent. The report highlights the male-dominated nature of the industry and has levelled allegations against prominent actors such as Siddique, Baburaj, Mukesh, Maniyanpilla Raju and Jayasurya.
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After the report was released, actor Mohanlal resigned as president of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA), along with the rest of AMMA’s executive committee. In the context of the Hema Committee report, Mohanlal stated, “AMMA is being criticised every time. It is not the only association which has to answer the questions.” He also said that Malayalam films have a good future and that “these” issues won’t destroy the industry.
South’s superstar Rajnikanth, upon being quizzed on his thoughts about the report, said that he was unaware of the contents of the report. Multiple South Indian actors have chosen to remain silent in the face of these heinous revelations.
Actress Samantha Ruth Prabhu has subsequently asked the Telangana government to publish the findings of a similar committee report it had constituted two years ago probing into sexual misconduct and the challenges faced by women in the Telugu film industry. Telugu actors Lakshmi Manchu, Suma Kanakala, and Pragathi Mahavadi have also called to publicise the report’s findings.
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