In the aftermath of the Hema committee report, a new association called Progressive Filmmakers’ Association may take shape in the Malayalam film industry. Noted filmmakers Anjali Menon, Lijo Jose Pellissery, Aashiq Abu, Rajeev Ravi, and Bineesh Chandra released a statement regarding this on Monday, September 16. However, on Wednesday, September 18, Lijo said that while he extended support to the idea, he was not part of any film collective yet.
“It is time to bring the Malayalam film industry up to date with modern systems, legal frameworks and collective responsibility. Rooted in the values of equality, cooperation and social justice, the collective will ensure that the rights of workers and manufacturers are protected and encourage efforts to take the industry to a higher level,” the statement said.
The statement said the collective would imbibe values such as moral responsibility, structured modernisation and empowerment of workers so as to create a just workplace. “We, as crew members, are shaping this industry and have an obligation to create inclusive workplaces where workers' rights are protected, and to ensure that our enterprises are sustainable and ethical. Although not easy, this change is necessary. This can only be achieved through mutual support and solidarity. We envision a community that provides complementary tools, frameworks, guidelines, and support to carry out these responsibilities,” it added.
The statement asks for support from other filmmakers in the industry and revamp the Malayalam film industry. “Let us join together in the dream of a better future where everyone who is a part of the film industry will rise with compassion,” it reads.
Aashiq Abu, who has been vocal about issues in the Malayalam cinema industry following the release of the Hema Committee report last week, had resigned from the Film Employees Federation of Kerala (FEFKA) after opposing the inclusion of filmmaker and producer B Unnikrishnan. B Unnikrishnan is also the general secretary of the FEFKA, and was in the film policy committee constituted by the government of Kerala. FEFKA was earlier known as Malayalam Cinema Technicians Association or MACTA.
The Hema Committee report, which revealed rampant sexual harassment incidents in the film industry, also noted that there was a power group controlled by a powerful group of men in Malayalam cinema. Unofficial ‘bans’ are handed out on a whim to anyone who is likely to speak about the issues in Malayalam cinema or even dissatisfy the ‘mafia’ that controls the film industry. “The existence of such a power group is one of the reasons the Hema Committee is against having Internal Committees (IC) to look into sexual harassment complaints as per the Sexual Harrassment of Women in the Workplace (Protection, Prevention and Redressal) Act,” the report had said.
Without naming Dileep, the Committee also makes note of the incident of a prominent actor going against a director after signing an agreement with him, and going to the extent of dissolving the union that stood by the director, MACTA. The director who spoke against the actor faced a ban for years and artists who agreed to work with him were also threatened with bans.
The Hema Committee was formed in 2017, in the aftermath of a brutal sexual assault of a woman actor in Kochi, allegedly masterminded by Dileep. It was the Women in Cinema Collective (WCC) who met with Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in 2017 and demanded government action, leading to the committee’s formation.
Editor's note: This story has been edited following Lijo’s statement.
