Kerala CM Reacts After Shocking Revelations By Court Regarding Malayalam Film Industry: 'Everyone Will Be...'

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has reacted to shocking revelations made by Justice Hema’s committee report regarding the Malayalam film industry. On Tuesday evening, the CM was addressing the media when he assured everyone that ‘appropriate action’ will be taken against all accused.

“If any of those who testified before the Hema Commission come forward with complaints, appropriate action will be taken. No matter how high-ranking, everyone will be held accountable before the law,” Vijayan said as quoted by the news agency ANI.

In 2017, an actress was sexually assaulted following which the government formed a three-member commission. While it was headed by Justice K Hema (retired), former bureaucrat KB Valsalakumari and veteran actress Sharada were the other two team members. The report, which was submitted to the government in 2019, has now been made available to the public. The report investigates several aspects of the Malayalam film industry including sexual harassment, lack of basic facilities like women’s toilets and changing rooms, pay disparity and discrimination on the basis of gender.

Among other shocking revelations, the report also mentioned a shocking incident in which an actress alleged that she was made to do a hugging scene with an actor, who sexually assaulted her in the past. The report stated that the actress was playing the role of the man’s wife and was, therefore, required to hug him in front of the camera. Even though 17 retakes were taken, she couldn’t get through with the scene and the director was left frustrated.

“On the next day onwards she had to work with the same man as husband and wife hugging each other. That was terrible because of what was done to her during the shooting, and her resentment and hatred had reflected during shooting,” the report said.

“In cinema, there is a general assumption that women come to cinema to make money and she will surrender to anything. The men in cinema cannot even imagine that it is because of their passion for art and acting that a woman comes to the movie. But the impression is they are coming for fame and money and they will sleep with any man to get a chance in a movie,” it added.