The Malayalam film industry is currently experiencing a transformative shift as the #MeToo movement gains momentum, especially following the incriminating findings of the Hema Committee report.
In this context, an old interview with Mohanlal, conducted by Gulf News in November 2018, is going viral. The actor’s problematic views have resurfaced, igniting fresh controversy and criticism.
During the interview, Mohanlal, the Indian National Award-winning actor and then-president of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA), made remarks that seemed to trivialise sexual assault and diminish the significance of the #MeToo movement.
“There’s no big problem in the Malayalam industry… You shouldn’t think of the #MeToo as a movement actually. It’s a fad and it’s turning into something of a fashion. Anything like that will have a lifespan for a bit,” he said at a press conference in Dubai on November 19, 2018.
The controversy intensified when, in a follow-up interview with Gulf News tabloid!, Mohanlal continued to display a dismissive attitude. When questioned about labeling #MeToo as a “fad,” he suggested that men could also start a similar movement, stating, “We [men] can also come out with a #MeToo, gender-wise.”
When probed further: he said: “I cannot make a comment on that. Only when you experience something like that, you can make a comment on it. Just giving a comment on it isn’t the right thing. I don’t know much about it.”
The interview’s resurfacing online has sparked widespread outrage, with fans and social media users expressing their disappointment in Mohanlal’s perceived insensitivity. Back in 2018, actress and Women In Cinema founding member Revathy slammed his ill-informed comments.
Cut to 2024, this interview has been widely shared by other news outlets in India and beyond following the damning observations made by the Hema Committee report which pointed towards widespread sex abuse and toxic working conditions for women. Many veteran actors including Siddique, Mukesh, and director Ranjith have been booked for sexual misconduct and other serious abuse allegations.
