Khushbu, Swara speak up on Hema Committee report, support survivors

Actor-politician Khushbu Sundar and actor Swara Bhasker have reacted to the Justice K Hema Committee report that has taken the Malayalam film industry by storm and sparked what many believe a second wave of #MeToo moment in Kerala.

Khushbu said on Wednesday (August 28) that the committee was “much needed” to break the abuse faced by female professionals in Malayalam cinema and urged women not to compromise and men to speak up for victims of sexual harassment.

Panel was much needed: Khushbu

The “MeToo” moment prevailing in “our industry breaks you”, the senior actor said in a post on X. “Kudos to the women who have stood their ground and emerged victorious. The #HemaCommittee was much needed to break the abuse. But will it?” the BJP leader added.

“Abuse, asking for sexual favours, and expecting women to compromise to gain a foothold or accelerate their careers exist in every field. Why is a woman alone expected to go through the grind? Although men too face it, it’s marginally women who bear the brunt,” Sundar said.

Victims need our support: Khushbu

The fear of being shamed, victim blaming, and questions like “why did you do it” or “what made you do it” break the woman, she added.

“The victim might be a stranger to you or me, but she needs our support, an ear to listen, and emotional backing from us all. When questioning why she didn’t come out earlier, we need to consider her circumstances — not everyone is privileged to speak out,” she said.

“To all the men out there, I implore you to stand by the victim and show your unwavering support,” she added.

Heartbreaking to read report: Swara

Actor Swara Bhasker, the first one from the Hindi film industry to publicly speak up on the 233-page report, shared a lengthy note on Instagram. She said showbiz has always been a patriarchal power set-up where, if a woman speaks up, she is labelled as a troublemaker.

“Are other language industries in India even talking about such things? Until we don’t [sic] face the uncomfortable truths we all know exist all around us, the brunt of existing abuses of power will continue to be borne by those who are vulnerable...,” she said.

“It has been heartbreaking to read the findings of the committee. More heartbreaking because it is familiar. Maybe not every detail and not every nitty gritty but the larger picture of what the women have testified to is all too familiar,” she wrote.

Showbiz a patriarchal power set-up: Swara

Bhasker, known for her outspoken views on topical issues, expressed solidarity with the women who spoke up and those who belong to the Women in Cinema Collective (WCC) who demanded an expert committee from the Kerala government to examine the working conditions in their industry.

“Showbiz is and always has been a male centric industry, a patriarchal power set-up. It’s also deeply perception sensitive and risk averse,” she wrote.

“Every day of production-shoot days but also pre and post production days are days when the meter is running and money is being spent. No one likes a disruption. Even if the disruptor has raised her voice for what is ethically correct. It’s so much more convenient and financially practical to just carry on,” she wrote in the post shared on Tuesday night.

Showbiz is also feudal: Swara

Silence is the convention and is appreciated, practical, and rewarded in the film industry, added the 36-year-old Bhaskar. “Showbiz is not just patriarchal, it’s also feudal in character. Successful actors, directors and producers are elevated to the status of demi-gods and anything they do goes,” she said.

“If they do something unsavoury, the norm for everyone around is to look away. If someone makes too much noise and doesn’t let an issue drop, label them ‘trouble makers’ and let them bear the brunt of their over enthusiastic conscience,” she added.

Bhasker, known for films such as the Tanu Weds Manu franchise, Nil Battey Sannata, and Veere Di Wedding, said the prevalence of sexual harassment in showbiz around the world is “normalised” by silence. “This happens everywhere in the world. This is how sexual harassment in showbiz is normalised and this is how a predatory atmosphere becomes ‘the way things are’.

Shout-out to WCC, survivors

“Let’s be clear, when power equations are so skewed, newcomers and other women who accept these conditions cannot be blamed for working within a framework they have not created. Accountability must always be sought from those who hold the reins of power and who create conditions where women have no choice if they want work,” she added.

The actor gave a shout-out to the members of the WCC, the women who testified and those who provided solace to each other and to all those women who have suffered sexual harassment and violence in the industry.

“You are heroes and you are doing the work that people in positions of greater power ought to have done already: Respect and solidarity with you!”

Allegations pour in

The Justice Hema Committee was constituted by the Kerala government following the sexual assault of an actress in 2017, and its report, made public only on August 19, revealed instances of sexual harassment, exploitation, and abuse of women in the Malayalam film industry. It has led many women actors to come out with allegations of harassment in the hands of their male counterparts and other men in the cinema industry.

Many women actors, including a Bengali actor, have gone public with allegations of sexual harassment against some of the well-known faces of Malayalam cinema, including eminent director Ranjith and actors Siddique and Mukesh, in the wake of the report.

On Tuesday, Mohanlal, celebrated actor and president of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA), resigned alongside other top officials amid fierce backlash over some of its members facing sexual abuse allegations.

(With agency inputs)