KOZHIKODE: Kerala Women’s Commission (KWC) chairperson P Sathidevi on Friday expressed optimism about the implementation of a comprehensive women’s policy in Malayalam film industry, and emphasised on the need for action in this direction.
“We have joined the Kerala High Court’s public interest litigation seeking to direct the government to act on the recommendations of the Justice Hema committee report. There is hope our film industry will soon adopt a comprehensive women’s policy, like in other film industries,” Sathidevi said during a seminar titled ‘Women in the Workplace’ organised by the KWC in Kozhikode.
The seminar highlighted KWC’s ongoing efforts over the past 28 years to ensure equal status for women in various fields and their empowerment. Sathidevi acknowledged the progress made but stressed on the need for continuous evaluation.
Recalling the brutal assault faced by a popular actress and the subsequent arrest of a prominent actor, Sathidevi said the incident led to the formation of Women in Cinema Collective, which advocated for better working conditions for women in the film industry. The government then constituted the Justice Hema Committee to address these concerns.
Sathidevi noted that the Department of Culture initiated the formation of an Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) within the film industry. It was met with resistance initially, but was implemented after further discussions, she said.
At the seminar, District Collector Snehil Kumar Singh highlighted the issue of workplace safety for women and broader implications for gender equality. KWC director Shaji Sugunan pointed out that only two out of 10 acts of violence against women are reported.
Activist K Ajitha stressed on the importance of actionable laws, particularly in the film industry, and criticised the lack of enforcement following the Justice Hema committee’s report.
Criticising the nearly five-year delay in the report’s release, screenwriter Deedi Damodaran said, “The only solace is that the issues previously dismissed as gossip are recognised as criminal offences.” She also highlighted the lack of basic facilities for women in the industry, such as an adequate space for changing clothes.