Actress Charmila accuses Malayalam producer of sexual harassment – did not adjust, took away 28 films

Ever since the Justice Hema Committee report has come out, there has been an uproar in the Malayalam film industry. Many actresses have made many shocking revelations about sexual exploitation, sexual harassment and strange demands. Now recently Malayalam film actress Charmila has accused a film producer of allegedly sexually harassing her 27 years ago. It is known that in February 2017, after the incident of sexual harassment of a Malayalam actress in a moving car came to light, the government had formed the Justice Hema Committee. After this, many actresses and women in the Malayalam film industry started raising their voices against the atrocities committed against them. The Hema Committee has now submitted its report after 5 years, in which many hair-raising revelations have been made. Meanwhile, actress Charmila is also in the news for her revelations. She told ‘News18’ what a hell-like time she saw in the Malayalam film industry and what she suffered.

‘I was asked to meet the producer alone’

Charmila said, ‘I saw a very traumatic time in the Malayalam film industry. It was during the shooting of ‘Arjunan Pillayum Anchu Makkalum’. We had to shoot a song in Pollachi, Tamil Nadu. After the three-day shoot was over, the production manager asked me to meet the producer before leaving. Since I don’t go anywhere alone, I asked my assistant to accompany me.’

‘One pounced on my assistant and started opening her saree and the other on me’

Charmila further said, ‘The manager stopped the assistant from coming with me. But I still took him/her along. When I went to the producer’s room, seven-eight of them were drinking alcohol. One of them pounced on my assistant, tried to remove her sari and another moved towards me. My male assistant tried to stop him/her and was beaten up. Meanwhile, another man grabbed my hand. I bit him/her and ran out of the hotel and asked for help.’

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Charmila ran outside, auto rickshaw drivers helped her

Charmila said that then a group of auto rickshaw drivers came to her rescue. With their help, the actress called her father, who went to Kalaignar’s wife Rajathi Ammal and the police arrived. Charmila said that since she was not ready to adjust, she lost 28 films. By adjust she meant having physical relations in exchange for film offers.

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Director Hariharan made this demand

Charmila further revealed about director Hariharan and how he/she had put a similar demand in front of her. The actress said, ‘Malayalam director Hariharan met me along with actor Vishnu. We had coffee, discussed the script and he/she (Hariharan) bid me farewell in a nice manner. Later, he/she called Vishnu and asked me to ‘adjust’. Vishnu told Hariharan that I will not ‘adjust’ and we both lost the film.