NEW DELHI: Author and columnist Shobhaa De criticised the lack of discourse in Bollywood and silence from Malayalam actor and director Mohanlal on the #MeToo movement in Kerala's film industry.
The Justice K Hema Committee report investigated the issues faced by women in Kerala's film industry. Several Malayalam cinema actors, directors and producers face rape and sexual harassment charges after the report was made public.
Shobhaa De targeted Mohanlal for resigning from his position as chief of the Association of Malayalam Movie Actors (AMMA) instead of using his authority to support the survivors. All members of association's executive committee quit shortly after the Hema Committee report was released.
"Stand up, be a man, tell your other team members to take responsibility and help those who are at the receiving end," she was quoted as saying by the NDTV.
Shobhaa De, according to the report, pointed out that no action had been taken for nearly five years since the Hema Committee report was completed. She said there was a breakaway group started by disheartened women in the Malayalam film industry, who sought change in pathetic working conditions.
"[The Malayalam film industry] was a cosy men's club controlled by 15-20 men, who had absolute power over [the women's] working and personal life," Shobhaa De said.
Shobhaa De blamed the deep-rooted "patriarchal system" in the film industry for enabling unsafe and toxic work environments for women. She said she is shocked that the powerful executive committee took the cowardly way out and resigned en masse. She questioned, "How does it help?"
Shobhaa De also said that she was equally shocked that no strong male voice has spoken up against the atrocities faced by their colleagues in Bollywood. "They are all colleagues. You stand by your colleagues when they need you and speak up when needed to speak up, whether men or women," she added.
She said that there seems to be a complicit agreement among men in the industry "not to damn each other and not to draw too much focus into what has been going on."
"Where are the big stars from Bollywood? They didn't even as much as say 'we stand by the victims, we stand in solidarity with the victims of these atrocities which have been going on unchecked, unabated because of the men in the industry who call all the shots."
Shobhaa De commented on the stagnant situation saying that change is possible only when men take accountability for their actions.
"Because the money is controlled by the men, they decide who is in, who is out, who gets the job, who gets a role, which technician is cooperative, which woman is willing to go to bed with a director, producer, a cameraperson."
Shobhaa De said women who stand up for themselves are seen as difficult and as 'troublemakers.' She added that the discriminatory treatment of outspoken women prevents them from earning their livelihood.
"This is unforgivable, unless action is taken. Action should be taken at a tribunal level. The perpetrators must be punished. It is time for action. This should not be some noise only to disappear," she said.