“Two steps forward and one step back is still one step forward,” said Rosa Diaz (played by Stephanie Beatriz) from Brooklyn Nine-Nine which resonates quite hard in the current context of #MeToo in Mollywood. Despite the huge mess in the Malayalam film industry, many budding artistes see a silver lining after the release of the Hema Committee report.
What led to this phenomenon was the horrific assault of a prominent actress in 2017. Soon enough, more than a dozen women artistes came forward in unity to support the survivor following which the Women in Cinema Collective (WCC) was born. Seven years down the line, the ongoing #MeToo movement could be the defining moment that changes Mollywood's course and makes the industry a safer and better place for women.
This was echoed by Farhan Musthafa, a filmmaking student hailing from Kochi, who said it's good that such incidents have been brought to light at least now though they should have been exposed ages ago. When asked about his hopes for the future, Farhan wishes to see a safe working environment where talented women can work without fear.
"The Malayalam industry has overcome many hindrances during its growth to showcase its name to the entire world and I believe the best is yet to come. Now that we know what is actually happening inside the industry, everyone will be extra aware. Things can get only better after this if justice is delivered to the victims," said the aspiring film editor and director.
Speaking along similar lines is Meera Unnikrishnan, a filmmaking student at St. Joseph's University, Bengaluru, who compares it to a form of cleansing. "Like how your body would need a cleanse every now and then, cinema industry needs a cleanse too. It is something that should be done with other industries as well; not just the cinema industry but all occupations for that matter. It is no secret that we women face some form of sexual violation regardless of where we work or even if we don't work."
Reacting to Mohanlal's request 'not to destroy the industry,' Meera says the movement is about making the industry better rather than destroying it. "I think people who look at the 'industry being destroyed' have a deep-rooted notion that these women who are coming out are just 'unnecessarily creating a scene,' which is where the problem arises. If talking about sexual assault is going to destroy the industry, so be it! Then it will probably at least bring about the rise of another new and better one," she said.
"We (survivors) are made to believe that we should not be speaking about what happened and it's not that big a deal. And since ages, we women have always been 'adjusting' to the point where we have to think twice before voicing out our issues," she added.
Meera also shares how her parents are now concerned about her pursuing filmmaking as a career. One thing she wishes to see by the end of this is that we stop expecting women to adjust by dismissing their concerns. "If someone were to touch us inappropriately, the first thing we're always asked is whether we are sure. They then gaslight us by saying things like Oh, he probably didn't mean it; he must have done it by mistake; maybe it was an accident," she quips.
Meera also expresses her disappointment in several stars, including Mammootty whom she adores, for their lack of accountability. "All the big stars are equally answerable to what's going on in the industry. They should be doing a lot more instead of giving pathetic excuses. In fact, so many people are so aloof about these things or are too scared to associate themselves with it. But they ought to take up some kind of responsibility to ensure a safe working space for all women," she stressed.
She also called out her male classmates for their lack of support and empathy towards the survivors. "Why are they so scared or hesitant to post about solidarity on their stories (Instagram) but are so quick to share all the accused men's responses to the allegations? I don't know if it is fear or ego when it comes to extending visible support to women, but it's high time basic necessities such as women's safety in workplaces ought to be met instead of us continuing to fight for it."
The #MeToo movement has become a significant topic of discussion in many classrooms. Bengaluru-based professor Muktha Deedi Chand acknowledges that the recent revelations about the Malayalam film industry will be remembered as a turning point. With a PhD thesis focused on workplace harassment in Malayalam cinema, Muktha reflects on how the Hema Committee report has brought in authenticity to the allegations, which were otherwise dismissed as “gossip”.
"The Women in Cinema Collective (WCC) consistently shared their concerns with the Kerala CM about issues within the industry, which extend beyond sexual harassment to include basic workplace conditions, such as toilet facilities -- something that falls under basic human rights. I also believe the WCC was unfairly vilified to some extent; they were viewed as a group of women set on destroying the Malayalam film industry," Muktha remarked. She further noted that other industries, such as Telugu and now Kannada, are taking such issues more seriously, particularly after the release of the Hema Committee report.
As a film studies professor, Muktha approaches cinema differently, seeing it as both a movement and a political act. When asked about the future of Mollywood, she explained that #MeToo has created a demand for systemic change, involving all stakeholders.
"As someone who teaches film, I always examine it through a gender lens, and I encourage discussions with my students on this subject. In another course we offer to final-year undergraduates -- on distribution and production management -- we explore various policies in cinema. I've been making efforts to introduce these conversations into the classroom, especially about how even well-educated individuals are often unaware of legal protections. It's disheartening, because the film industry, which has enjoyed immense creative privilege, isn't ready to implement these same laws. For instance, this industry didn't have an Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) until the WCC pushed for it," she explained.
Expressing her optimism, Muktha added that the current generation will drive meaningful change.
Meanwhile, although one of the first industries to bring in an ICC under the POSH Act was Sandalwood (Kannada), the Film Industry for Rights & Equality (FIRE) has called upon the Karnataka government to constitute a committee led by a retired judge to study and make a report on issues faced by women including sexual harassment in the Kannada film industry.
153 individuals from within Sandalwood and across various strata who advocate gender justice have signed on to this petition by FIRE. Speaking to The New Indian Express, actor and activist Chetan Kumar who founded the organization in 2017, praised WCC and the Kerala government for their tremendous work. He now calls for a Hema Committee-like report to tackle pervasive inequality, discrimination, and sexual harassment in his own industry.
"This is not a fight between men and women; this is a fight between feminists and the patriarchal system," Chetan stressed, adding that FIRE was established with a clear mission—to advocate for the rights of women and other deprived groups in the film industry. It has also supported several MeToo survivors with moral, legal and emotional support for almost seven years. He added that sexual harassment is not going to disappear but at least this time it will no longer be accepted.
