In celluloid romantic scenes, he is good at running around the trees. In real life, he proved that he is good at beating around the bush. The Mohanlal, who on Saturday broke his silence on the Hema Committee report and the #MeToo movement it has triggered, proved to be a real disappointment.
The Japanese pictoral maxim of three wise monkeys "see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil" was what came to one's mind watching the press briefing of the Malayalam superstar and ex-president of the now disbanded AMMA (The Association of Malayalam Movie Artists).
Mohanlal could have done better at a time when he himself admits the industry is going through a crisis.
Unfortunately, when he chose to break his silence, it proved that one could read more into what he ignored than from his muted first reaction to the Justice Hema Committee report.
Mohanlal almost played down the serious #MeToo movement that has erupted following the unveiling of the Hema Committee report saying that what usually happens in all the sectors is what has happened in the Malayalam film industry.
Mohanlal said he was pained by the allegations but asked the media not to pelt stones at AMMA.
"Wrongdoers should be punished if there is evidence against them," the Kireedam actor said, while referring to the allegations of sexual misconduct and assaults that surfaced against some of the members of the Association.
"I am not part of any power group in Malayalam cinema," the actor insisted, before adding that he did know of the existence of any such groups.
He spoke about reconstruction. If this big industry falls, a whole lot of people will be rendered jobless. "Don't destroy this industry," he pleaded.
Surprisingly, Mohanlal claimed he hasn't gone into the contents of the Hema Committee report, though he said he welcomes it.
Mohanlal reminded the media that he hasn't run away anywhere.
"Last 47 years I have been with you. I have not run away anywhere. I was not in Kerala for the last several days. I was in Gujarat, Mumbai," he said, adding that he was with his wife who underwent a major surgery.
There are police and the state government to deal with the issues arising out of the Hema Committee report, he said.
Later, he went on to say he has nothing further to add and no answers to the questions posed by the media persons.
Earlier, as the president of AMMA he had deposed before the Hema Committee.
The committee is the first of its kind in India. It was formed by the Kerala government following the sexual harassment of a leading actress in 2017 to look into the working conditions of women in the Malayalam film industry.
The committee has identified at least 17 distinct forms of exploitation experienced by women across 30 different categories. These include overt sexual demands for entry into the industry, sexual harassment, and various forms of physical and emotional abuse.
Mohanlal, who is a mature actor, could have been more direct in his answers to the questions posed by media persons. The allegations levelled by several actresses against the actors and filmmakers in the wake of the release of Hema Committee report are very serious. This is the time that the industry as a whole, including the superstars, should have stood with their women counterparts, particularly the survivors. Unfortunately, it wasn't to be, at least on Saturday.
