Vincy gives Kerala film industry – and government - a wakeup call

‘Who does she think she is…’

Vincy Aloshious, the Malayalam film actress, has won kudos. And she has won her share of sneers and smirks from a Malayalam film audience who are quick to lift up and tear down their actors all the manner of a few social media posts.

In Vincy’s case, all that was required was one such post, where she declaimed that she would not act with any co-star who was under the influence when on the sets. And she went on to recite the horrid experience from one of her previous film shoots, when an actor was ‘spiting white powder’.

There were some who rushed to offer their public and vocal support for the young actor, who has been in the industry for six years now and won a Kerala State Film Award in 2022. But there is also a sizable number from within the Malayalam film fraternity who are seething at the way Vincy made the whole sordid affair public.

In their world view, Vincy could have raised the issue with the A.M.M.A grouping of actors, and where the worthies would look into the matter. And settle any differences to the best interests of all parties.

Just like A.M.M.A. looked into all the issues surrounding sexual harassment issues faced by some of its actress members. That’s been the issue with A.M.M.A., it’s all talk and shout, never about finding a solution. At least, the right solution. (Even with Suresh Gopi’s re-entry into the A.M.M.A. fold, the grouping continues with the bombast.)

But the Kerala Government can do its part in cleaning up - or attempting to - clean up the many problems in the Kerala film industry. Because the problems are many, and the rampant use of drugs on film sets is one of the more open secrets within it. If actors can show the courage to openly point out the problem, this should be the moment for the authorities to intervene.

Because history has proved that those from inside the industry are just too caught up in their own egos and impotence to make things right.

Would any organization in any other industry allow any of its workforce to turn up inebriated or worse in the workplace? Action against the offender is a foregone conclusion. And it would happen immediately. At least, there is a good chance that it would)

If the Kerala government has assigned Malayalam films the status of an industry, it definitely has the right to intervene. Not by creating any more judicial scrutiny like the hapless Hema Committee that looked at sexual offenses perpetrated in the industry. At the end of which, nothing happened, apart from a few actors getting charge-sheeted and with no jail time. No one much believes that any enforcement action will ever come to pass on these ‘culprits’.

But after Vincy’s revelations, the Kerala Government has another window of opportunity to cleanse the industry of the worst sort of workplace abuses.

If Kerala does believe about empowering women at the workplaces, then make it happen. Start with the sets first.

Could the Kerala government start the cameras rolling on what it can do?