The Film Employees Federation of Kerala (FEFKA), a trade union of technicians in the Malayalam film industry, has urged that the names of the alleged perpetrators mentioned in the Justice Hema Committee report be revealed. In a statement released on Wednesday, August 28, the union said that it hoped that the mass resignation of the executive committee of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (A.M.M.A.) “would be the beginning of a revolutionary course correction of the organisation”.
The statement follows a #MeToo wave in Kerala after the publishing of the redacted Hema Committee report on the abysmal working conditions and rampant sexual harassment faced by women in the Malayalam film industry. On August 27, all the office bearers of A.M.M.A, including its president Malayalam superstar Mohanlal, tendered their resignations after it became untenable for them to continue amidst a barrage of sexual harassment and assault allegations against many in the industry, including three members of the A.M.M.A. executive committee.
FEFKA has also assured that they would support the survivors with legal and psychological support. The union’s steering committee meeting is scheduled to be held between September 2 and 4, in which the general secretary B Unnikrishnan and steering committee members would discuss the report.
“The analysis of the report will be submitted to the government and will also be made available to the general public. Recognising that FEFKA's responsibility does not end with this, an action plan will be released to address the critical issues related to women's safety pointed out in the Hema Committee report,” the statement read.
Further, the union has assured that if any FEFKA members are accused of sexual harassment or face legal action, disciplinary action would be initiated against them regardless of their stature.