Kochi: Veteran actor Mammootty on Sunday shared his thoughts on the ongoing controversy in the Malayalam film industry following the sexual harassment allegation made by actresses and also reacted to the Justice Hema Committee report that was made public recently.
In a Facebook post, Mammootty wrote a lengthy note which read, “This post is based on the current developments facing Malaysian cinema. The organisational method is for the organisation and the leadership of the actors to react first. I waited so long because I feel that I should give my opinion as a member only after such professional responses. Cinema is the epitome of society. Everything good and bad in society is in the film. The film industry is something that society pays a lot of attention to. Therefore, all the small and big things that happen there will be a subject of a lot of debate. To prevent anything unpleasant from happening, filmmakers need to be careful and vigilant so that nothing undesirable happens in this sector.”
Lauding the initiative of the Hema Committee, he said, “The Justice Hema Committee was set up by the government to study the film industry and prepare a report to suggest solutions and recommend measures after something happened which should never have happened. We wholeheartedly welcome and support the recommendations and solutions outlined in that report. It is high time that all the film industry associations join hands without distinction to implement them. The police investigation is going on vigorously on the complaints that have been made. The full version of the Justice Hema Committee report is before the court. There is no ‘power group’ in cinema. Cinema is not a domain where such things can exist. Justice Hema has asked that the practical recommendations of the committee’s report be implemented and necessary legislation be enacted if there are legal hurdles. Ultimately, cinema must survive.”
Earlier this month, a redacted version of the Justice Hema Committee’s report on harassment faced by women in the Malayalam film industry was made public.
Contains shocking stories that denounce harassment, exploitation and mistreatment of professional women.
The 235-page report, released after redacting the names of witnesses and accused, says the Malayalam film industry is controlled by 10 to 15 male producers, directors and actors who dominate and exercise control over the industry.
The report of the three-member panel headed by a former Kerala High Court judge and set up by the state government in 2017, was submitted to the Pinrayi Vijyan-led Kerala government in December 2019 and was made public only this month.
The Kerala government said on Sunday it has decided to form a special investigation team, headed by a senior police officer, to probe allegations of sexual abuse in the Malayalam film industry.
“In light of recent interviews and statements by several women in the Malayalam film industry detailing the hardships they have faced, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has convened a meeting with senior police officials here on Sunday,” an official statement from the Chief Minister’s Office said.
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