Condition of women in Malayalam industry is worse! Revelations in Hema Committee report- Actors are playing the whole game

The Kerala government on Monday released the report of Justice K Hema Committee, which looked into the working conditions of women in the Malayalam film industry. The report, released under the RTI Act after 63 pages were deleted from the initial 295-page draft, reveals a male power group comprising 15 big shots, including directors, producers and actors. The report says that the power group decides who should stay in the industry and who should be cast in films. “During the study, we understood that the Malayalam film industry is under the control of a few makers, directors, actors, all of whom are men. They control the entire Malayalam film industry and they dominate the people working in cinema,” the report said. A group of powerful directors, producers and actors has been called a ‘mafia’ as they have the power to ruin the careers of those who speak against them. The report confirmed the involvement of some big actors.

What revelations were made in the Hema Committee report?

The report further states, ‘It has been brought to the notice of the committee that a leading actor of Malayalam cinema has called the powerful lobby in the film industry a mafia as they can do anything according to their whims and fancies in cinema and can even ban anyone. They can ban prominent directors, producers, actors or anyone.’

If you go against them you get dismissed

It said, ‘No man or woman dares to speak any words that may insult any person belonging to the powerful group, because such person is removed from the industry by the powerful lobby.’

Women are harassed

The report also observed a misogynistic attitude towards women in Malayalam cinema and confirmed the existence of casting couch syndrome in the industry. The report states that directors and makers often pressure women into exploitative situations. Women who agree to their terms are codenamed ‘co-actors.’ Several statements have emerged from women who compromised their integrity for roles.