There are older artistes like Neyyatinkara Komalam, who is ninety plus and was Prem Nazir’s first heroine, and Madhu, one of Malayalam cinema’s early superstars. But 84-year-old TR Omana is the living artiste who can boast of having had the longest association with Malayalam cinema. The woman whom many call Malayalam cinema's Amma started her career in 1952 as a 12-year-old in the film Premalekha. Seventy two years have passed between then and the publication of the Justice Hema Committee report. She spoke about the report and the repercussions it has unleashed in an exclusive interview. Excerpts:
What do you have to say about the Hema Committee report?
I had heard about the Justice Hema Committee a few years ago. But then there was no clarity then on what it was about. It's only now that the Hema Committee is truly in the spotlight and a topic of everyday discussion.
When the 2017 actress assault case (which led to the formation of the Committee) happened, no one came forward with complaints of harassment. All we knew was that the case was in court and it was dragging on.
With new accusations emerging now, I wondered if it will meet with the same fate. But then the complaints are piling up.
Cinema isn't the only industry where men and women are working together. There are problems everywhere and it has been so always.
There were similar issues when we began our careers too. I have seen or been privy to quite a few of these incidents myself. It, though, never blew up into a problem of this magnitude.
My immediate thought is why didn't these complainants come forward earlier. Why did they hold back then? Also, why did these women go all alone before these men for chances? Couldn't they have ensured they had someone to safeguard them when they were going to these unknown places and before unknown people? And if anyone did end up falling into a trap, I felt they must have spoken up then and there.
But there were at least a few complainants who said that they had approached the authorities when these incidents happened but nothing was done…
Who was it that failed to act on the complaint? And if it is so, on what basis or faith are the victims/survivors complaining now?
I am not siding with anyone. All I am saying is that women have to make it a point to take adequate precautions. Older folk advise 'be careful, be careful', isn’t it? Always remember only you are there to safeguard yourself.
Do you go on your own because a man, whom you know little about, has invited you to his hotel room? Nobody went to anyone's house to perpetrate these heinous acts, did they? This will keep happening in the future too if proper care is not taken. Let there be no doubt about that.
Even when we were acting, there were instances when those who went seeking chances decided to yield when asked to. There were also those who decided 'No, they would not' and walked away. It has happened earlier also. I am not saying it never did.
So, you're saying that it has been happening for generations?
Yes, it has been happening for generations. But it has come out this starkly and in such an ugly manner only now.
What then was happening earlier?
I can't say how it got suppressed earlier. It might be that the actresses never spoke out. Or those who committed these acts went away quietly. What happened then was kept quiet.
Now, it's not so. In our days, we were ashamed to talk about such incidents in public, even hear of it.
Actress Sarada, your colleague, was a member of the Justice Hema Committee...
Yes, she was. Can Sarada say that she had never encountered improper behaviour? Can any actress who has entered cinema say so? Someone might have used unbecoming words before us at least, is it not?
Are you then saying a woman must react when she has to?
Definitely. When the boundaries are crossed, we must warn them then and there. And if they go further and try to invite you over, it must be made clear that you are not ready to make any compromises. There must be the guts to tell them this on their face.
A young actress has alleged that despite making it clear to an actor that she was not interested, she was assaulted…
Well, if she had made that clear, why did she not leave the place immediately?
She said that when she tried to leave, she was forced to stay behind and forcibly molested.
My question again is why did she have to end up in such a situation. Why did she go all by herself? I don't know who this young actress is. But I am guessing she would have a father, mother, brother or someone whom she trusted to go along with her. Or was that not the case?
When you join cinema, you know the kind of an industry you are getting into. So, it becomes paramount to ensure that when we are going to such places, we go in a manner that ensures our safety. Why are they not thinking of this? This is what I am wondering about. I am not for a moment saying what was done was right. My question is why are these kids (actresses) not paying attention to their safety.
Let me get back to something you had touched upon earlier – the 2017 actress assault case. It has still not reached any conclusion…
Yes, there has been no result yet. In fact, many of the people who had expressed support one way or the other, either to the victim or the accused, have shifted their stands. What's the meaning of all this?
Where do you think that case is headed?
I don't have much hope. I feel certain positions and money power will ensure that the truth is suppressed. Nobody will allow it to come out with the clarity it deserves. If you are trapped, you are trapped. To avoid getting trapped is our responsibility as actresses. That is all I am saying with my experience. I am not blaming anyone. The sad fact is that teasing out suppressed truths is very, very difficult.
Even this report has not been published in its entirety citing privacy concerns…
The testimonies of those who have come out will change. You wait and see. Their views will change. People don't have any hesitation in changing their stances. That is why I said those who ended up being trapped have to live with it. They must avoid heaping further shame on themselves by speaking out on public platforms. Of course, they must tell the truth to people who will stand by them, but then leave it at that. I don't have much faith in everything else or in anyone else being able to do much for them. I sadly can't believe otherwise.
Is that why the Hema Committee report took close to five years to surface in the open in this form with all the redactions?
You tell me whom will the government support? Can we say for sure?
But the survivors have shared their testimonies, have they not?
Will their testimonies alone suffice? They will ask for multiple records. They will ask for so much more. The perpetrators will say that it is all being done to tarnish their reputations, pull them down. How will the complainants then prove their allegations without concrete proof?
If you can react immediately and get results on the spot, that is smartness. When complaints are delayed, what proof will there be? How can they succeed in proving it?
One thing that actress Sarada has said in the report is that there was casting couch earlier too. I have also heard about consensual relationships between heroes and heroines…
In those days, many heroes and heroines acted together in many films. While acting like this, there were instances when a certain fondness grew between them and they have gone out together. Nobody used to interfere or comment on this. This never caused a difficulty for anyone. If they were in love, it bothered no one.
These days it is different. It is actresses who go seeking chances who are ending up with experiences like these, is it not? Actresses who come thinking they will only act as heroines or in a particular role are possibly getting trapped. The only way to escape from falling into such traps is to handle it smartly. Or else walk away from this industry and career. All the kids today are well educated. Some even have more than one degree. These wannabe actresses are usually from well-to-do families too. They have no difficulty in leading a good life. Why should they fall into such traps? Why are they allowing it?
In olden days, most actresses hailed from poor families and needed to act to keep their families going. They had come to escape their hardships.
Since you were mentioning the olden days, I have heard that earlier there were actors like Sathyan who stressed on the safety of women. Can you tell us more?
See in those days, there were fewer artistes, fewer films. These days 100-200 films get released every year. This means we have that many more artistes. Earlier, the number of artistes could be counted on your fingertips. So, if any of them came to any harm, work would get affected. If any of the 20-25 artistes weren't available, everything would come to a standstill. So, be it the producer or the director, everyone would pay much more attention to ensuring that things proceeded smoothly.
But even then there were a few cases, were there not? Complaints, rumours…
Nothing, though, that was aired in the public like it is now.
Deaths?
What was said about the deaths was speculative. It could have happened because of this or that. Mere rumours.
Sarada has mentioned in the report that there were unofficial bans on those who refused to yield, fall in line…
Bans? I am not sure if there were bans like those. But there were instances of certain directors favouring certain actresses. I don't know what the basis of that was. Even I was asked to step aside in a movie due to this. The producer had booked me and even handed me an advance. But 20 days before the shoot, the producer came and told me there is a problem. The director is insistent that he only wants to cast a particular actress. Please don't be offended, chechi, I will give you another role in the movie, he told me.
I understood, didn't have any complaints. That was how we saw it then.
Actors too had made recommendations, had they not?
Yes, there were recommendations from actors. When it came to my roles, there were rarely any recommendations. Yes, Prem Nazir and Sathyan have recommended me in a few movies saying I might do justice to certain roles. These were suggestions made when certain artistes were unavailable. I was then proposed as a substitute. There was nothing wrong in that.
Yes, there were certain instances where there were other factors at play. But then no one went to town with it. There was no public shaming like now when the cinema industry has been dragged to the gutters and an organisation that was doing a good job (AMMA) has been plunged into a crisis.
One other question that arises is of the dreaded knock on the door in the night mentioned in the report. Did that happen back then also?
Of course, of course. It was there back then too and it is there now also. (Laughs)
Have you had any personal experiences?
There was an instance when we went for an outdoor shoot. Two of us artistes were in a room. I don't wish to name that artiste. A person working with my roommate came and knocked on the door. She immediately told me not to open the door since she knew it was this person that she fears and wants to avoid. I asked how is it that you are certain. She told me he has been harassing me for many days, chechi, and I think it is him. I remember that incident even now.
You are telling me the door remained unopened. Were there any repercussions?
What can they do? I don't know if that actress had to suffer any blowbacks. All I know is such an incident occurred. What happened the next day and what they spoke about is something I was not privy to.
So, the actress did not tell you about there having been any repercussions?
While acting, some actresses were put through a lot by certain directors.
In one such incident, it was so because the actress had refused to agree to the director's advances. That actress to whom this happened is alive.
The director had knocked on her door and she hadn't opened. The next day when shooting resumed, she was ticked off more than once. She was then told 'I will come tonight. When I come, you better open the door'. This was at an outdoor location.
That night the actress and her mother came to my room and told me what had happened. I was shocked initially since I had not believed the director as being capable of such behaviour. The actress said it happened and he had heaped abuse on her in the morning. I want to sleep in your room so that I am safe, she insisted. I told her you can stay and I will take care of things if the young director came and attempted any mischief.
In the night, he went to the actress' room and knocked on it. Her mother opened it and said her daughter was sleeping with Omana Amma. He asked her, I was told, why had such an arrangement been made and walked away in a huff. Next day, he tortured the actress on the sets by being harsh to her. I was a witness to that incident. The director is also alive. He will know that what I am saying is true.
You are a lifetime member of AMMA (Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes). AMMA president Mohanlal sees you as his mother. He has now resigned his Presidentship and the executive body has been dissolved (though both he and the body will continue for now). Were you informed about this?
Yes, Mohanlal has always showered me with a lot of affection. No, I was not informed of any of this. Nobody got in touch. I only came to know of it through TV.
AMMA has close to 500 members. You have told me before about how it supports many senior artistes who are in need. Now they must all be wondering about what the future holds.
I heard on some channel that Mohanlal had insisted that the help which is being extended must not stop. The new committee must continue offering it. I don't know who is going to take over. I hope it is so.
There has also been talk about whether a senior artiste like Mohanlal should have resigned at such a time…
Yes, why did such a resignation have to happen? I am unable to understand that. I don’t know whether there were any personal compulsions behind this decision.
What is your personal view?
There was no need for such a sudden resignation. They should have investigated the allegations thoroughly. Siddique might have been dragged into it, but why did Mohanlal have to resign?
There are reports that there were Executive Body members like Vinu Mohan, Sarayu who were against resigning. So, could this have been avoided?
Yes, there was little reason for such a hasty step. But there might have been some reason. I know what is happening inside. Whatever be it, this is a crisis and it could end up affecting many innocents, including family members and artistes in need of support.
Malayalam cinema has always been held in regard by other industries. And now we have this…
You know what others say. That they have never seen such an organisation like AMMA with the kind of unity it commands. In Tamil Nadu and Chennai, I hear that repeatedly. They look at it in wonder. How has AMMA been able to carry so many artistes along, they always ask.
One other accusation that has been raised is the presence of a power group – both in Malayalam cinema and AMMA. Is there such a group?
I personally don’t know of any power group existing. Is it there? When I started, there was no such groups. That I can vouch for. A producer and director would decide who the actor they wanted to cast was. Now, I hear that it is not so. And that production managers call the shots. I don’t know who decides all this now… Till 2019, when I was active, it was the producer who used to call me. Or it was the production in-charge. I stopped acting after the arrival of Covid.
But can you tell me what has been the difference since when you started and now?
See, when I began the producer was the all-in-all. Whatever the producer who was bankrolling the movie decided, that was the final decision. There was no second opinion. The producer used to decide the director and they both used to decide the cameraman and so on.
Then came a time when the director became more prominent and began to have a say. They began saying I can only proceed with the film if I am allowed to cast a particular artiste for a particular role. They would tell this to the producer. Some producers would agree. The director and cameraman would then decide. There was not much confusion even in those days.
Then came a time when production managers began to select the artistes. They would bring in artistes whom they were interested in. If the producer or director asked for someone else, they were told that those artistes were unavailable. It reached that stage. Now, if the artiste who was brought in knew the producer or director, the production managers could not do much. But if it was not so, production managers would create many uncalled-for issues is what the younger actresses have told me.
This is how things have gradually changed. In Malayalam there is a saying: “Vaal eduthavar ellam velichapadu’. (Everyone who picks up a sword becomes a clairvoyant.) That is the current situation.
There are also the disturbing reports about drug abuse on sets…
No, no, I have never seen or heard of that. There are those who drink and I know of some incidents. But there have been only a couple of incidents in my knowledge when actors have come to the sets drunk. Neither of these actors could do what they were supposed to do then. I haven’t seen anything else.
Sarada about the influence of western culture now. When it comes to dressing even and that being an invitation for trouble…
Yes, I agree that we are aping the West a lot more. But can we blame the dressing alone? It is man who has to be blamed rather. Even women who are covered from head to toe are sometimes preyed upon. It is human behaviour that is the trigger. It can never be said that the dress alone is to blame.
Based on your 72 years of experience, what can then be done to make the cinema industry a safer place. You are the seniormost artiste alive. Your suggestions have a special importance.
I will start by reiterating what I have been saying all along. Women have to ensure their personal safety before they go anywhere. That is compulsory for all. They must be certain that they have done all they can to ensure they can return safely from wherever. I wish to underline that.
You don’t then believe that the filing of the cases and the formation of the SIT (Special Investigation Team) will help?
I don't have enough faith in all of that. I am not disparaging the efforts of either the government or these teams or commissions. I personally don’t believe much will be achieved. I might be wrong. It could work, it could not. But I am not expecting sweeping changes. All I have to say is that just like I ensured my safety, everyone else has to ensure their safety. This is an industry where men and women spend the most time with each other and at very close quarters. So, every female artiste has to always keep this in mind.
One other thing, many have come to me to ask me if I could tell my granddaughter to take up film offers. I have always said no. I don’t wish to get into the reasons. There are many. They have told me you have been in films, why not allow her to follow in your footsteps too.
My reply was I knew how to live and navigate my way through films. It doesn’t necessarily have to follow that my granddaughter will know how to. And I don’t have the time to go behind her when needed. I am not saying don’t get into films, but ensure you have the support system in place. Or you must have the guts.
One last thing. There is a demand from many quarters that AMMA should have a woman president. Urvashi’s name has come up in this context. There are others who are suggesting someone like Prithviraj.
Let me tell you. Be it a man or a woman, anyone who can handle and carry forward the affairs with conviction and without showing fear or favour will be welcome as far as I am concerned. This is all that I have to say.
