Eminent civil society members, including activists, authors, and journalists, appeal to Kerala's Chief Minister for immediate action following the Hema Committee Report, urging systemic reforms in the Malayalam film industry. The Daily Eye #Newsdesk reports… 

Photography: Vinta Nanda

In a landmark appeal, over 70 prominent members of civil society, including activists, authors, and journalists, have urged Kerala Chief Minister Shri Pinarayi Vijayan to act on the recommendations of the Hema Committee Report. This report exposes widespread sexual harassment and gender inequality in the Malayalam film industry. The signatories demand comprehensive reforms, improved working conditions, wage equality, and the safety of women in cinema. With growing public attention, this appeal aims to push the government to ensure justice and systemic change in the Malayalam film industry.

In a significant development following the release of the long-awaited Justice K. Hema Committee Report, a collective of prominent civil society members, including authors, activists, legal professionals, filmmakers, and journalists, have issued a powerful appeal to Kerala Chief Minister Shri Pinarayi Vijayan. The appeal, signed by over 70 notable individuals, addresses concerns about the state government’s delayed response to the Hema Committee's findings and calls for comprehensive reforms in the Malayalam film industry, particularly regarding the safety, equality, and working conditions of women.

The Origins of the Hema Committee Report

The Hema Committee was established in 2017 in response to growing concerns about gender inequality and sexual harassment within the Malayalam film industry. The catalyst for this movement was a brutal sexual assault on a leading female actor, an event that shocked the state and brought to light the hostile work environment many women in the industry face. In the aftermath, the Women in Cinema Collective (WCC) was formed, uniting women from various facets of the film industry to advocate for their rights and safety.

The formation of the Hema Committee was seen as a significant step forward, with the government of Kerala initially expressing strong support for the WCC’s demands. However, despite the submission of the report in December 2019, its findings were not made public until August 2024—five years later—largely due to sustained pressure from the WCC and the media.

Delayed Justice and the Struggle for Recognition   

The civil society members’ appeal begins by acknowledging the courage of the actor whose assault led to the creation of the WCC. They also commend the WCC for its tireless work, which was crucial in the establishment of the Hema Committee and the eventual release of its report. However, they express disappointment at the Kerala government’s delay in making the report public, emphasizing that this five-year wait has hindered progress toward meaningful reform.

The signatories note that while the public and media in Kerala have been largely supportive of the report’s findings, there is growing concern about the narrow focus on sexual harassment and abuse, which has overshadowed the report’s extensive analysis of other critical issues, such as pay disparities, lack of formal contracts, inadequate working conditions, and the absence of basic facilities for women on film sets.

Media’s Selective Coverage: Focusing Solely on Violence  

One of the primary concerns raised in the appeal is the selective coverage by the media, which has predominantly focused on the instances of sexual violence highlighted in the report, at the expense of addressing the broader systemic issues that allow such violence to persist. While the establishment of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) by the Kerala government to investigate sexual harassment allegations is a necessary step, the signatories argue that focusing exclusively on sexual misconduct risks neglecting the underlying causes of inequality that perpetuate abuse.

The appeal urges the government to adopt a holistic approach, addressing not only the incidents of violence but also the structural inequalities in the film industry, such as unequal pay, lack of contracts, and inadequate working conditions. The signatories stress that without tackling these root causes, any efforts to improve the safety of women in the industry will be incomplete.

Survivor Agency and the Right to Choose  

A significant part of the appeal is dedicated to defending the agency of survivors of sexual harassment and violence. The signatories express concern that some women who have shared their stories publicly are now facing pressure from law enforcement to file official complaints. This, they argue, is a violation of the survivors' right to choose how they wish to proceed.

The appeal calls on the Kerala government to ensure that the SIT and the police respect the agency of survivors and prioritize their mental health and well-being. Forcing women into legal battles they may not want to fight adds to their trauma and undermines their autonomy. The signatories assert that the state must provide support, not coercion, to survivors, allowing them to decide the best course of action for themselves.

The Importance of Public Sensitisation

The appeal also highlights the need for greater public and media sensitisation regarding sexual harassment and the challenges faced by survivors. The signatories express concern that, in the absence of proper awareness-building efforts, the current discourse in Kerala may veer toward discrediting the experiences of women who choose not to pursue legal action.

The government is urged to launch public awareness campaigns that educate the media and the public about the complexities of sexual harassment cases. The appeal stresses that speaking out about one’s experience, even without seeking legal recourse, is a legitimate form of justice, and the government must protect women from retaliation for doing so.

Broader Reforms: More than Just Harassment

In addition to addressing sexual harassment, the appeal calls for comprehensive reforms in the Malayalam film industry. The Hema Committee Report highlights several other critical issues that require immediate attention, such as the lack of written contracts, wage discrimination, and inadequate working conditions. The signatories emphasise that these issues must be tackled if the industry is to become a fair and equitable space for all women.

The appeal calls on the government to mandate written contracts that clearly define salaries and terms of employment, standardise working conditions, and implement a zero-tolerance policy for harassment on film sets. These reforms, they argue, are necessary to address the systemic discrimination that has allowed exploitation to flourish in the industry.

A Call for Action: Implementing the Hema Committee Recommendations

The release of the Hema Committee Report is an unprecedented opportunity for the Government of Kerala to bring about lasting change in the Malayalam film industry. However, the signatories warn that this opportunity will be squandered if the government fails to take comprehensive, concrete action.

They call on Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to ensure that the report’s recommendations are implemented in full, including the introduction of policies and laws that address the multiple issues identified by the Hema Committee. The appeal lists several specific demands, including the enforcement of contracts, the improvement of pay scales, the reduction of wage disparities, and the provision of basic facilities such as toilets, dressing rooms, and safe transportation for women working in the industry.

A Collective Voice for Change

The appeal has garnered the support of a wide range of civil society members, including notable figures such as Arundhati Roy, Indira Jaisingh, Vrinda Grover, Aparna Sen, Swara Bhasker, and many others. These individuals, spanning diverse professions and backgrounds, have come together to demand justice and reform in an industry that has long overlooked the rights and safety of its women workers.

In closing, the signatories reiterate that a 360-degree approach is needed if the Hema Committee Report is to fulfil its intended purpose. Only through systemic reform can the Malayalam film industry become a place where women are treated with respect, equality, and dignity.

The Appeal is Signed by:  

Arundhati Roy, Delhi (Author), Indira Jaisingh, Delhi (Advocate, Supreme Court of India), Vrinda Grover, Delhi (Advocate, Supreme Court of India), Sarah Joseph, Kerala (Author), KR Meera, Kerala (Author), NS Madhavan, Kerala (Author), TJS George, Bangalore (Journalist), K Ajitha, Kerala (Activist), Aleyamma Vijayan, Kerala (Gender Consultant), K Satchidanandan, Kerala (Author), Aparna Sen, West Bengal (Actor), Prakash Raj, Chennai (Actor), Chinmayi Sripaada, Chennai (Singer), Swara Bhasker, Mumbai (Actor), Sushant Singh, Mumbai (Actor), T M Krishna, Chennai (Artist/activist), Nivedita Menon, Delhi (Feminist Scholar), Professor Ira Bhaskar, Delhi (Retd Professor of Cinema Studies, JNU), Jeet Thayil, Bengaluru (Poet), Manu Pillai, Delhi (Author), Anita Nair, Bengaluru (Author), Sobha Nambisan, Bengaluru (Retd IAS officer), Sandhya J, Kerala (Lawyer), Sandhya Raju, Kerala (Lawyer), Viji Penkoott, Kerala (Activist), Dr Binitha Thampi, Chennai (Professor), Onir, Mumbai (Filmmaker), Kavita Krishnan, Delhi (Activist), Soya Thomas, Thiruvananthapuram (Gender Consultant), Dr Rekha Raj, Kerala (Activist), Sudha Menon, Gujarat (Writer), Aswathy Nair, Kerala (Dancer), Bindhu Ammini, Kerala (Activist), Vinta Nanda, Mumbai (Film and TV producer-director), Leena Manimekalai, Chennai (Poet), Radhika Menon, Chennai (Publisher), Janaki Nair, Bengaluru (Historian), Janaki Abraham, Delhi (Professor), Miriam Chandy Menachery, Mumbai (Filmmaker), Deepa Dhanraj, Bangalore (Documentary Filmmaker), Anjali Gopalan, Delhi (Activist), TR Raghunandan, Bangalore (IAS, Retd), Ammu Joseph, Bengaluru (Journalist), R Rajagopal, Kerala (Journalist), Gita Aravumudan, Bengaluru (Journalist), Josy Joseph, Delhi (Journalist), Vinod K Jose, Kerala (Journalist), Pramod Raman, Kerala (Journalist), RK Radhakrishnan, Chennai (Journalist), Ullekh NP, Delhi (Journalist), Laxmi Murthy, Bengaluru (Journalist), Meenakshi Shedde, Mumbai (Journalist and Film Festival Curator), Anna M.M. Vetticad, Delhi (Journalist and Writer), Vaishna Roy, Chennai (Journalist), Faye D’Souza, Mumbai (Journalist), Ramya Kannan, Chennai (Journalist), Sharda Ugra, Bengaluru (Journalist), Saraswathy Nagarajan, Kerala (Journalist), Sarita Mohanan Bhama, Kerala (Journalist), Shahina KK, Kerala (Journalist), Leena Gita Reghunath, Bengaluru (Journalist), Saritha S Balan, Kerala (Journalist), Dhanya Rajendran, Bengaluru (Journalist), Jisha Surya, Kerala (Journalist), Anupama Venkitesh, Bengaluru (Journalist), Sandhya KP, Kerala (Journalist), Revati Laul, Uttar Pradesh (Journalist), Nileena Atholi, Kerala (Journalist), Jisha Elizabeth, Kerala (Journalist), Sindhu Napolean, Kerala (Journalist), Nisha Susan, Canada (Journalist), and Sudipto Mondal, Bengaluru (Journalist).