From casting couch to lack of basic facilities: Justice Hema Committee report exposes how men make life a living hell for women in Malayalam cinema

Not all beloved stars deserve to be loved

Justice Hema begins the report with a strongly-worded note emphasising that not all beloved stars deserve to be loved. “The sky is full of mysteries; with the twinkling stars and the beautiful moon. But, scientific investigation revealed that stars do not twinkle nor does the moon look beautiful. The study therefore, cautions: ‘Do not trust what you see, even salt looks like sugar!'”

The report also confirms that the casting couch is prevalent in Malayalam cinema, typically managed by the respective film’s production controller or the person offering the role. Pointing out that the harassment starts from the very inception, the committee stated the production controller or whoever gives an offer for role in cinema would first approach the woman/girl or if it is the other way and, a woman – approaches any person in cinema seeking a chance in cinema, she is told that she has to make “adjustments” and “compromise” to get the offer. For the unversed, these terms are often used by industry insiders to imply sexual favours, effectively instructing the woman to be available for sex on demand. One girl told the committee that any male cast or crew member could demand sex, and a woman must be willing to comply. To normalise such harassment, women are often told that certain well-known and successful female actors gained their reputation and fame only by obeying such demands. “Many in the industry are made to believe that all women in the industry get into the industry or are retained only because they have sex with men in the industry,” the report states.

Women started disclosing experiences only after WCC’s formation

The report also highlights a general misconception in the industry that women enter cinema solely for financial gain and are therefore willing to endure anything. “It has come out in evidence that it is only after the formation of Women in Cinema Collective (WCC) that women started disclosing to each other their bad experiences relating to sexual harassment,” the report notes, adding that until then, many survivors kept such harrowing experiences to themselves.

Another alarming finding is that many men assume that women willing to perform intimate scenes on-screen are also willing to do so off-set, reflecting a lack of professionalism and understanding of the craft among men in the industry. “Therefore, men in the industry make open demand for sex, without any embarrassment.”

“On analysis of evidence placed before us, we are satisfied that women face sexual harassment even from very well-known people in the industry, who were named before the committee,” the report asserts, indicating that the panel found no reason to disbelieve these claims.

Normalisation and trivialisation of sexual harassment

Un/surprisingly, many men spoken to by the committee attempted to downplay sexual harassment in cinema by suggesting it occurs in other fields as well, thereby normalising and trivialising these grievous and heinous acts. However, many women countered this by pointing out that harassment in cinema often starts before a woman even begins working in the industry. “If a woman wants to get a job in cinema, either people from cinema will approach or she will have to meet somebody but, demand for sex is made by people in cinema,” asserting that such demands are not common in other fields. The report also reveals that women often feel unsafe going to work alone and usually go to sets only with parents or close relatives.

The demand for a committee to examine women’s issues in the industry following the abduction and sexual assault of a leading female actor in a moving van in Kochi in February 2017. This incident exposed the unsafe conditions for women in the industry and the Hema Committee report underscores that, day after day, men in cinema are making life a living hell for women — both aspiring and established professionals.

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