KOCHI: The members of Women In Cinema Collective (WCC) have come out against several crucial witnesses in the actor abduction case, who they claim had turned hostile.
On Sunday, the WCC said in its official Facebook page that the organisation continues to stand by the female actor. “We stand by the survivor,” said the collective which was formed to protect woman artists from exploitation at the workplace.
WCC members, including actors Parvathy Thiruvoth, Revathy and Rima Kallingal, singer Sayanora and many others, have blasted the witnesses who allegedly turned hostile. “Shame (on them!). Feeling deeply hurt that colleagues, who stood by the survivor (earlier) have turned hostile at the last minute when she needed their help the most. Though we are well aware of the fact that these women, who turned hostile, are also victims in some sense since they have no say in the power equations of the film industry, it hurts badly. Have come across reports that four of them — Edavela Babu, Bindu Panikkar, Sidhique and Bhama — have changed their statements. And still counting. If this is indeed true, it’s such a shame,” said Rima, a founder-member of WCC.
Revathy said: ‘‘We hold candlelight vigils in solidarity with a survivor as soon as such an incident occurs, but mistrust her when we are held accountable. Is it such a world that we want for posterity? What is the point in taking pride as the inheritors of the culture of a thousand years if our daughters, sisters and mothers cannot be protected?”
Expressing solidarity with the survivor, filmmaker Aashiq Abu, said: “There is hardly anything surprising about the senior actor and a heroine having changed their statements. However, by taking a stance which favours the atrocity, both of them are supporting cruelty.”