A #MeToo movement in Kerala. That wasn’t a surprise. There have been murmurs and rumours of sex abuse in the south Indian state’s film industry for years, but they never gained credence. No surprise there. Because the film industry is backed by powerful lobbies, which include influential and wealthy individuals. They all want a slice of the movie pie, so they close ranks.
So what changed? The Justice Hema Committee report gave abused actresses the courage to name and shame their predators. It should have happened earlier.
An abusive film industry doesn’t befit a state like Kerala. A progressive state with a high literacy rate, where educated and intelligent women outnumber men. “God’s Own Country”, where women form a sizeable chunk of the workforce. A state that gave India freedom fighters Lakshmi N Menon and Accamma Cherian, the second woman high court judge P. Janaki Amma, the first female Surgeon General Mary Poonen Lukose, sprinter P.T. Usha, economist Gita Gopinath, and many other stalwarts.
Women power in the land of patriarchy
Women in Kerala have always been a force of change, excelling in their chosen fields. Many travel long distances every day to work and supplement their family income. They refused to be shackled in the traditional role of homemakers. Yet patriarchy reigns in Kerala.
Every year, there are reports of dowry deaths, which is a slur on a state like Kerala. It happens with sickening regularity. Abusive husbands and greedy in-laws drive the newlywed women to suicide. A horrific end to dreams that die at the altar of marriage.
Now tell me, does the sex abuse in the film industry surprise you? Well, you could say it happens in all states in India and in countries worldwide. That doesn’t condone the harassment in Kerala. Why should it happen? The state prides itself on being a modern state with liberal values. That’s just an illusion. A smokescreen that conceals the rot.
The lure of cinema
Not long ago, the film industry was considered ill-suited for respectable women. Actresses were frowned upon, although crowds flocked to movie houses. All that changed a few decades back. Educated women from affluent families sought fame and fortune under the arc lights on cinema sets. The glitz and glamour drew them like flies to a lamp.
Little did they know, they could be burnt. Maybe they knew and were prepared to take the risks. Movies, after all, are a powerful lure. I’ve heard stories of parents prepared to throw caution into the winds to ensure their daughters gain a foothold in the industry. They are fully aware of the casting couch dangers and sexual predators that prowl the studios. Yet, they take risks willingly. All in the incessant quest for stardom. A sad commentary on the society, indeed.
Abuse in the movie industry is an open secret. Most actors named as predators in the Malayalam (language spoken in Kerala) filmdom doesn’t come as a shock. It has been doing the rounds for some time. It’s shocking how they managed to evade justice for so long.
Shame and suicide
Most victims were reluctant to complain. Those who complained were shamed, silenced and sidelined, never to star in a movie. Lost in the eddies of time. Remembered only when the next sexual assault happens.
Some past suicides have been attributed to sexual harassment, but there was no proof. No smoking gun. Director K.G. George’s movie Lekhayude Maranam Oru Flashback (Lekha’s murder, a flashback) threw the spotlight on cinema’s murky side. The story continues.
The script seems to have changed with the abduction and sexual assault of an actress in a moving car in Kochi in February 2017. The Justice Hema Committee was constituted to investigate the dark underbelly of Malayalam cinema. Its report sent shock waves across Kerala last week. Abused actresses named the perpetrators. That’s not enough. Cases have to be filed against the predators so that more actresses are not tortured.
The lingering feeling is that the scandal may go away after a while. Just like the previous episodes. Remember, the case involving actor Dileep is still languishing in the courts. But that shouldn’t be allowed to happen.
The menace of sex abuse is not limited to film industry. A recent Times of India report threw light on sexual harassment in the civil service and the police force. If the actresses pursue their attackers in court and secure a conviction, more women from other walks of life will gain the strength to fight their rapists. For that, they need support. Support from the society, the film industry, and other women. Only then can change happen.
Change has to happen so that every woman can go to their workplace without the fear of sexual harassment. This is Kerala’s chance to lead the change.
