The Kerala Government on Monday, August 19, published the 290-page Justice Hema Committee report, five years after it was submitted. The report, which addresses issues faced by women in the Malayalam film industry, reveals horrific stories of how women are being sexually exploited by ‘powerful’ men including superstars.
However, 55 pages, that contains experiences of sexual harassment faced by women, have been redacted. Copies of the report were given to 16 journalists in Kerala, including from TNM, who sought it under the Right to Information (RTI) Act.
In pages 58 to 72, there are redacted sections where the survivors explain their experiences of sexual abuse and why they prefer to keep silent. The report says that they keep silent, due to the fear of serious consequences including threats to their life. While explaining how their names have been tarnished through social media when they open their mouths, it shares the experience of an artist who had to act as the wife of a person a day before she faced harassment from him. A total of 13 pages and 30 points have been redacted here.
Similarly, page number 72 explains how men in cinema exploit women who come in with a huge passion for acting and the art of cinema. ‘men in cinema cannot even imagine that it is because of the passion for art and acting that a woman comes to the movie. But the impression is they are coming for fame and money and they will sleep with any man for a chance in a movie," it says. If they open up on any issues they will be branded as trouble makers which will negatively impact their future in the cinema, the report said. “Therefore, women who are passionate about acting will suffer all the atrocities, silently,” it added. Sections which provide details of such incidents, 7 pages, have been redacted.
On page number 80, the report explains the online harassment women in cinema face. They include various remarks of sexual colour, vulgar photos and comments that they will be raped. Pages numbering 82 to 99 have been removed and the subject skips to page number 100 which records the request made by WCC for an Internal Complaint Committee (ICC) ) in every production unit of cinema and the Association of Malayalam Artistes (AMMA).
While discussing the demand for constitution of ICCs in pages 107 and 108, the report observes that the women are hesitant to complain to the body as the president and other members are from the industry, who could be influenced by the powerful group who control the film field and because of fears that their privacy will be violated.
“It is not because they have no grievance but they are not willing to go to such a forum with their grievances for various reasons,” the report observes.
The report says: “We have absolutely no hesitation to state that there must be an independent forum which must be constituted by the government as per a statute, to deal with the problems of women in cinema.”
Ten pages from 113 to 122 have been redacted and in page 123, the report goes on to speak about a ‘strange’ phenomenon that exists in the Malayalam film industry: ban on artists and technicians which is illegal and unauthorised.
A page which explains how the WCC members are not allowed to work in cinema or why the production houses shun them due to the fear of AMMA members is also missing.
Additionally, three points in Page 30, that follow point number 56, where difficulties women face in shooting sets due to the lack of toilet facility, have also been deleted. The report also narrates health issues the women artists as well as technicians face due to the lack of toilets.