Hema panel report | Should have spoken about father’s abuse sooner: Khushbu
Sundar was abused by her father when she was eight and had protested against it at 15, prompting him to walk out of the family; she revealed these last year
Actor and BJP leader Khushbu Sundar has said in a post on X that she should have spoken much earlier about the abuse she faced from her father, something she did only last year.
“Some ask me what took me so long to speak about my father’s abuse. I agree I should have spoken earlier. But what happened to me, was not a compromise to build my career. I was abused at the hands of the person who was suppose(d) to provide me the strongest arms to hold me if I fell,” she tweeted.
Sundar was reportedly abused by her father when she was merely eight and she had protested against it at the age of 15. After that, her father had walked out of the family. She revealed these details only last year.
Hema Committee report
Khushbu’s post was in connection with the Justice K Hema Committee report published last week which has revealed shocking details of sexual abuse, harassment, and exploitation of women in the Malayalam film industry. The Kerala government had appointed the committee after a sexual assault on an actress in 2017. Following the report, many women actors have come out with allegations of harassment at the hands of their powerful male colleagues in the Kerala film industry.
The BJP leader said the committee was “much needed” to break the chain of systemic abuse faced by women in Malayalam cinema. Through her post, Sundar also urged women not to compromise and men to speak up for victims of sexual harassment.
“As a woman and a mother, the wounds inflicted by such violence cut deep, not only in the flesh but in the very soul. These acts of brutality shake the foundations of our trust, our love, and our strength. Behind every mother, there’s a will to nurture and protect, and when that sanctity is shattered, it affects us all,” she wrote.
“Wake-up call to all”
“Let’s understand that many women don’t even have the support of their families. They come from small towns with stars in their eyes, hoping to shine brightly but often find their dreams nipped and crushed at the bud. This should be a wake-up call to ALL. Let the exploitation stop here. Women, come out and speak. Remember, you always have a choice in life. Your NO is definitely a NO. Never adjust or compromise on your dignity and respectability. EVER,” she added.
Amid the increasing number of allegations of sexual harassment and exploitation against several actors and directors, the Kerala government on August 25 announced the setting up of a seven-member special investigation team. The complaints have only grown since then, shaking the Malayalam film industry to the core.