Sexual harassment scandal hits India's Mollywood industry

This article includes accounts of rape and sexual assault

Mollywood, the Malayalam-language film industry based in the southern Indian state of Kerala, is under intense scrutiny amid a deepening sexual abuse scandal involving some of its top movie stars and industry leaders.

A landmark report into issues faced by women in Mollywood, which was made public last week, revealed that "sexual harassment of women is rampant," putting the spotlight on the movie industry's darker side.

The report uncovered that women in the film industry face numerous issues including sexual demands, sexual harassment, gender discrimination, lack of safety in the workplace, insufficient basic facilities and wage disparities.

Since the so-called Hema Committee report was made public, numerous women have come forward with sexual assault allegations against male actors and filmmakers.

The Kerala police have registered at least 17 cases involving prominent figures in the film industry so far.

"Actors are coming out to name and shame their abusers. They are showing courage and recounting their ordeals. Further disclosures are expected," a senior police officer told DW on condition of anonymity.

The Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) was dissolved after its entire executive committee stepped down in light of the report's findings. A new governing body is expected to be elected within two months.

Local media widely reported that noted Mollywood director Ranjith resigned as the chairman of the Kerala Chalachitra Academy, a non-profit that promotes Malayalam cinema, following allegations of inappropriate behavior by Bengali actress Sreelekha Mitra.

Ranjith said he would challenge the accusations against him.

Industry grappling with fallout

The Hema Committee, led by retired Kerala High Court judge K Hema, was established in 2017 after an actress was raped in a moving car while returning home from work, sparking outrage within the film community.

Though the committee's findings were released in 2019, multiple legal challenges prevented them from being made public until now.

The Hema report unambiguously states that control of the film industry is wielded by a cabal of male producers, directors, and actors.

"This is how sexual harassment in showbiz is normalized and this is how a predatory atmosphere becomes the way things are," said actor Swara Bhaskar in a statement. "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 added.

Actor Minu Kurian, who is also known as Minu Muneer, and whose statement was recorded by the police on Wednesday, told DW that she was confident that justice would be served.

"Many artists have had a bad experience. Those who are not 'cooperating' with powerful industry members have been cast away," Kurian told DW.

She filed complaints against seven individuals including a top Mollywood actor and Edavela Babu, a former AMMA general secretary.

"They did not give me membership of AMMA because I stood my ground," Kurian added.

"I just hope the industry is cleansed after this raft of allegations by various actors," said Kurian. "There must be respect and safe spaces for women otherwise what is the point?"

Edavela Babu denied the allegations against him.

"I have no enemies and will answer to the authorities," Babu told DW. "There is no basis to these allegations."

Making Mollywood safer for women

Although most Mollywood stalwarts have stayed silent over the damning revelations of the Hema report, some have expressed their concern over the overall issue of sexual harassment and abuse.

Leading actor Prithviraj Sukumaran said there were lapses on part of the influential AMMA in addressing women actors' complaints, and called for a serious probe into the issues raised.

"It is important to punish those who have committed sexual abuse. My responsibility does not end with just ensuring that my movie location is safe, it is important that the entire industry is safe for people," Sukumaran told a press conference this week.

This isn't the first instance of an Indian film industry facing scrutiny. In 2018, Bollywood, the Hindi film industry based in Mumbai, was rocked by a sexual abuse scandal.

Sexual harassment accusations by Tanushree Dutta, an actor and former Miss India, against Bollywood legend Nana Patekar turned the spotlight on the issue of male dominance and exploitation of women in the Indian film industry. 

A year earlier, following the 2017 rape incident, 18 women — including actors, directors, producers, and technicians — formed the Women in Cinema Collective (WCC) to create a professional space for women in the male-dominated film industry seeking justice.

A WCC's petition led to the setting up of the Hema Committee by the Kerala government.

"This report urges the government and the industry to address sexual harassment. I hope it empowers women, creates awareness, and establishes safer places for them," said Vidhu Vincent, a filmmaker and former member of the WCC.

"I hope the findings brings significant changes to the film industry and improved accountability."

Beena Paul, a film editor and founding member of the WCC, said that there are issues that need to be addressed urgently to make the industry a safer environment for women.

"This is a decades old industry and changes are needed for a proper level playing field," Paul told DW.

Edited by: Keith Walker