The dramatic arrest of leading Malayalam actor Dileep in the abduction and assault case of an actress could open a can of worms in the days to come. For long it was suspected that Mollywood dabbled in dubious business deals. Drug abuse was rampant in the industry and no investigating agency was allowed to probe beyond a point whenever big names came under the scanner. They would close ranks and shut out the outsiders from getting a look in, claiming there was nothing wrong going on. It was as if another set of rules applied to them.
Given this scenario, the moral outrage expressed by many stalwarts about the involvement of criminals on contract aka quotation gangs seem misplaced. It is now an open secret that the internal rivalry between two actors, even when it got out of hand, would have not reached the public domain but for the chance appearance of a politician.
Thereafter, the principal players were forced to repeatedly change the script as the Opposition began painting the government into a corner. The molestation led women in Mollywood to form a collective and act as a pressure lobby. The arrest that followed was also a pre-emptive strike as it was feared that a bird of the same feather, but with the Centre’s patronage, was angling to have the case referred to the CBI.
Meanwhile, it remains to be seen if the Dileep case results in anything tangible by way of cleansing the industry, which would only be too happy to have its fall guy take the rap. In fact, it suits many as Dileep had stomped many in his scamper to the top.
But, to dig out more dirt would prove to be self-defeating for a majority as the spotlight would then shift from personal vendetta to irregularities in financial dealings and that may not stop with Dileep. More skeletons would then tumble out. And that would hurt an industry where the stars insist on foraying either directly or by using benamis, into production, distribution and exhibition of movies.