FLASH
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Allegations of sexual abuse have dominated headlines and rocked a major film industry in the southern Indian state of Kerala. A series of allegations of sexual abuse against several leading male stars have come to light, following the release last week of a landmark report examining the problems faced by women in the industry. The industry, which makes around 150-200 Malayalam language films a year, is a vital and vibrant business that has seen some of the most critically acclaimed progressive cinema come out of India.
But the 290-page report by a three-member panel, called the Hema committee, detailed the problems faced by women in Malayalam cinema, including poor working conditions and rampant sexual harassment. Parts of the report have been redacted to hide the identity of the survivors as well as those accused of molestation. Since its release, a number of women, some of whom have now retired from acting, have spoken publicly about facing sexual assault and harassment in the industry.
Dozens of police reports have been filed against several male stars, two of whom have also filed counter-complaints. The uproar has been so great that the entire apex governing body of the state's biggest film group, the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA), was disbanded after its president, superstar Mohanlal, resigned on “moral grounds ” after several members faced charges. "This is only the tip of the iceberg. Only a few have spoken so far. More serious issues can arise," actor Mala Parvathy told BBC Hindi. Reactions to the first-of-its-kind report are being closely watched by people in many of India's film industries, including Bollywood. During the #MeToo movement, several women had made allegations of sexual harassment against actors and filmmakers in various states, but few of them were investigated.
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