‘Not just gender, caste too’: Hema Committee report gives voice to Dalit artistes

On August 31, the technician attended a meeting of the Film Employees Association of Kerala (FEFKA) along with other women colleagues in Kochi. “In the meeting, several women from oppressed communities spoke up without fear — all thanks to the Hema Committee report,” the technician says.

This, even though the 300-page report makes just one mention of caste: “The term ‘woman’ is not a monolithic entity. It is stratified by various axes like class, caste, race, religion, age, skills, kinship etc. Hence the issues faced by one category in the film industry need not necessarily be the same as those faced by others.”

Narrating an incident of caste discrimination on a film set, she says, “When a woman who was molested raised a complaint, she was asked, ‘Who will pursue and molest a Pulayi (a Scheduled Caste)?’. If this is not caste discrimination, what is?”

When The Indian Express reached out to the woman who allegedly faced this discrimination, she confirmed the incident, adding that “I have nothing more to say”.

Dalit women technicians say the silence of women from their community in the industry is “manufactured”, thanks to seniors, including office-bearers of major unions like the Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes (AMMA, now dissolved) and FEFKA, continuously denying the existence of caste hierarchies.

Take the experience of S Mrudula Devi, a songwriter from the Dalit community. She says, “Two years ago, in a FEFKA meeting, I raised the issue of caste in cinema and how Dalit women do not find a space there. I was immediately told — that too by seniors in FEFKA — that there was no caste in the industry.”

Stating that she is not a FEFKA member since the association does not “recognise” caste, Devi adds, “A lot of junior technicians in the industry belong to marginalised castes. If FEFKA cannot address their concerns, why should I be part of it?”

The Indian Express reached out to multiple FEFKA members for a comment on the alleged caste discrimination in the industry. “The question now is about gender discrimination and abuse. Caste just does not figure in this,” says one FEFKA office-bearer.

The report, which was released on August 19 following directions from the Kerala High Court, exposed several cases of harassment, including sexual, in the industry. According to songwriter Devi, the release of the Hema committee report gave a voice to many, including “Dalit women who depend on the film industry for their survival”.

Jeeva Savithry Janardhanan, a director who belongs to the Dalit community, says it is “extremely tough” for women from the community to enter the industry. “To enter the industry at top-level positions, including that of a director, you need financial stability. Since several talented Dalit women don’t have sound financial backing, they don’t even make it to the industry. And those who do, leave the industry after they face discrimination or try to remain silent about their caste,” she says.

To help increase Dalit representation in the industry, the director “purposely” looked for technicians from the community while making her film, Richter Scale 7.6.

The last time caste discrimination in Malayalam cinema was discussed widely was when senior actor Thilakan said he was “illegally” banned from cinema because of his caste. The actor, who belonged to the Other Backward Classes (OBC), passed away in 2012.

Though his son, actor Shammy Thilakan, never commented on the people who allegedly sidelined his father, he said after the release of the Hema committee report, “Those idols (film stars) which deserve to be broken should break.”