Hema Committee Report: Shocking details emerge on movie mafia, casting couch and sexual favours

The Justice K Hema Committee Report, released by the Kerala government on Monday (August 19), has exposed dark details about the Malayalam film industry, including gender discrimination, sexual harassment against women and the presence of a powerful ‘mafia’ of 15 men who call the shots.

The Kerala government had formed the committee to study issues faced by women in the film industry following the 2017 kidnap and assault of an actress in a moving car in which actor Dileep was allegedly involved.

The report, originally running into 295 pages, was sourced by the Kerala government through the RTI Act, after the removal of 63 pages, and shared with media.

Mafia running the show

According to the 233-page report, the group of powerful men including actors, directors and producers, are the ones who decide casting in films and who stays in the industry.

“In the course of the study, we understood that the Malayalam film industry is under the control/clutches of certain producers, directors, actors – all male. They control the whole Malayalam film industry, they dominate other persons working in cinema,” the report says.

The report says that the group, referred to as the ‘mafia’ due to the huge influence its members – including known and “major” actors – wield, have the power to ruin the careers of those who don’t toe their line.

“It is brought to the notice of the committee that a prominent actor in Malayalam cinema referred to the powerful lobby which exists in film industry as ‘mafia’, since they could do anything in cinema, according to their whims and fancies and even ban very prominent directors, producers, actors or any other person even though such ban is illegal and unauthorised,” the report said.

"No man nor woman dare to utter any word which may offend anyone belonging to the power group, because such person will be wiped off the industry by the powerful lobby," it added.

Casting couch

Stating that the industry was rooted in misogyny, the report said the “major issue that women face in the film industry is sexual harassment” and women are mostly reluctant to speak about it.

“There is a general assumption that women come to cinema to make money, and they will surrender to anything. The men in cinema cannot even imagine that it is because of their passion for art and acting that a woman comes to the movie. But the impression is that they are coming for fame and money and they will sleep with any man to get a chance in a movie,” the report said.

“As study progressed into the issues faced by women in the industry, it started revealing that the glamour of industry is just exterior glitter,” the report said.

‘Cooperating artists’

The report says that women actors are often pressured by directors and producers to compromise and those who did were called by the code name of “cooperating artists”.

It says that newcomers often fall prey to the “demand for sex” in return for roles and are “sexually exploited against their willingness”.

“…men in industry make open demand for sex, without any embarrassment. Even if women are not interested in having any sexual contact with them, demands are made for sex, by offering to give more chances in cinema notwithstanding their resentment and objection to such demands,” it says.

The report also shares a story in which a woman, who was abused by an actor, recounted how it was harrowing for her to play his wife the next day and had to struggle through retakes.

"On the next day onwards, she had to work, with the same man, as husband and wife, hugging each other. That was terrible. Because of what was done to her during the shooting, her resentment and hatred reflected on her face, during shooting. 17 retakes had to be taken for just one shot. The director criticized her for the situation," the report said.

Sense of insecurity

The report says women in the industry do not feel safe to stay alone when travelling and are often harassed by drunk men.

“The women in cinema do not find it safe to stay all alone, in the place where accommodation arranged for them. In most of the hotels where they are staying, the doors are knocked by the men working in cinema who would be mostly under intoxication. Many women have stated that knocking will not be police or decent but, they repeatedly bang at the door, by force. On many occasions, they felt that the door would collapse, and the men would make an entry into the room by force,” the report said.

Lack of basic facilities

Women artistes are even denied basic rights like access to toilets and changing rooms at the shooting locations. During interviews with the committee, many women actors confided that many a time they had to suppress their urge to urinate. They said on multiple occasions they have faced problems in changing or disposing sanitary napkins during their periods.

The report says that victims often stay mum and don’t report the abuse to police as they know the powerful group of men would back the accused and eventually tarnish her name.

“If one complains, consequences will be severe…they will be silence. They even threatened to target families if anyone complained,” the report said.

Criminal gang

The panel report also alleged that the Malayalam film industry is under the control of a "criminal gang." The report categorically mentioned that the police should register FIRs against crimes that are being committed in the industry, and many are not coming out fearing for their lives.

The Hema Committee report, which examines the working conditions and safety of women in the Malayalam film industry, has been the subject of significant legal and public discussion in the state.

Here are the key findings at a glance:

* Committee says it was shocked to hear about the state of women

* Widespread exploitation of women

* Top people in the industry also involved

* Casting couch is prevalent

* Producers, actors, directors also part of the rot

* Women are scared to even file a complaint

* If complained, actresses say they will get banned easily

* A caucus is controlling the whole industry

* Indusrtry in control of complete mafia

* Junior artists are being exploited, working for long hours

* Actresses say they bring along family members in fear

* Actresses seek setting up an independent body for protection of women

* Most male young male actors are in the grip of drugs

The report, submitted in 2019 by Justice Hema, was commissioned after a high-profile case of sexual assault involving a female actor in 2017. It contains alleged sensitive testimonies and detailed accounts of gender-based issues within the industry.

Recently, the Kerala High Court ordered the state government to publish the report within a week, rejecting a plea that sought to delay its release due to concerns over privacy.

Due to these legal challenges, the report's publication has been repeatedly postponed. Actress Ranjini recently moved the court seeking a stay, but the court dismissed her petition.

See the full Hema Committee report below: