In February 2017, the Malayalam film industry was shaken by a shocking incident when popular actress Bhavana Menon, known for her work in Malayalam, Tamil, and Kannada films, was assaulted in a moving car. The attackers, a group of five men, kidnapped her, filmed the assault, and later released her. Following this traumatic event, Bhavana Menon filed a police complaint, leading to a high-profile investigation.
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The investigation took a surprising turn when it was revealed that Dileep, a well-known Malayalam actor and a former co-star of Bhavana Menon, was allegedly involved in orchestrating the attack, reported Wion. The case drew widespread attention, especially after Dileep, a powerful figure in the industry, was arrested. Although he spent three months in custody, he was eventually released on bail. The case is still under trial, with several witnesses having turned hostile over the years.
The Bhavana Menon case became a catalyst for broader scrutiny of the Malayalam film industry, particularly its treatment of women.
In November 2017, in the wake of the incident, the Kerala government established the Hema Committee to investigate and address the issues faced by women in the industry, reported India Today. The committee, led by retired Justice Hema, actor Sarada, and bureaucrat KB Valsala Kumari, invited women to share their experiences, promising confidentiality.
Over 80 women came forward to testify, revealing a toxic environment within the Malayalam Film Industry. The committee’s findings, compiled in a 296-page report, were submitted to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in 2019. However, the report remained shelved for nearly five years, sparking criticism and raising suspicions that the government was protecting influential figures in the industry.
The 296-page report was finally made public on August 19, 2024, uncovering a grim reality.
The testimonies detailed widespread sexual harassment, the existence of a powerful lobby of directors, producers, and technicians, and systemic issues that had long been ignored. The report revealed that basic amenities like changing rooms and toilets were often not provided to women on set. But the most alarming revelations were the accounts of sexual harassment and exploitation.
The report described how women were often coerced into providing sexual favours to powerful men in the industry. It detailed instances of drunk actors, producers, and directors knocking on female actors’ doors at night, demanding sex. Those who refused were subjected to harassment, including being forced to repeatedly perform intimate scenes on set. The report also highlighted the significant pay disparity between male and female actors, even in women-led films.
“(The industry) is controlled by a group of male actors, producers, distributors, exhibitors and directors who have gained enormous fame and wealth” and they were among the perpetrators. Men in industry make open demands for sex without any qualms as if it’s their birthright. Women are left with very little options but to oblige – or reject at the cost of their long-awaited dream of pursuing cinema as their profession,” BBC quoted the report.
After the report’s release, a few actors found the courage to come forward to share their stories. A female actor accused veteran actor Siddique of raping and harassing her when she was 19. Although she had made similar accusations in 2019, she was met with scepticism and criticism at the time. However, the Hema Committee report lent credibility to her claims, prompting Siddique to resign from his position as General Secretary of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA), reported Economic Times.
Similarly, Bengali actor Sreelekha Mitra accused Malayalam director Ranjith of inappropriate behavior, leading to his resignation as the Kerala Chalachitra Academy chairman. Additionally, actor Minu Muneer accused several prominent figures, including Mukesh, Maniyanpilla Raju, Idavela Babu, and Jayasurya, of abuse on the sets of a 2013 film.
Following rising public pressure, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan held a “high-level meeting” with police officials and formed a seven-member special team to investigate the reported abuse faced by women working in the industry. The Kerala State Women’s Commission has recommended the establishment of grievance redressal committees on film sets, says NDTV.
The Hema Committee report has exposed the dark underbelly of the Malayalam film industry. While the resignations of Siddique and Ranjith are seen as steps in the right direction, the revelations have also sparked a broader conversation about accountability and the protection of women in the industry.