Sexual assault allegations rock Indian cinema

Indian actress Srilekha Mitra remembers no detail of the day she barricaded herself in her hotel room to protect herself, as she says, from the harassment of a prominent director.

The incident is part of a long series of allegations that have rocked the film industry in the Indian state of Kerala, known as “Mollywood,” since an official report was published three weeks ago about the prevalence of sexual violence.

Srilekha Mitra recalls an event in 2009, at the home of local film academy president Ranjith Balakrishnan, when she was 36. Her host invited her to isolate herself to talk on the phone to a director about a role in his next film, she tells AFP.

“He started playing with my hair and neck,” the actress describes what happened then. “I knew that if I didn’t act, he would push his hands into other parts of my body.” She adds, “His intentions were very clear. I was terrified.”

All these years, Sreelekha Mitra had only told a close friend about the incident. It was the publication of the Hema Commission report, named after former Justice K. Hema who had overseen it, that convinced her to speak out and file a complaint.

On August 19, the results of the investigation stirred up the stagnant waters in this area, revealing widespread practices linked to sexual violence and harassment committed by a small group of men, whether producers, directors or actors, who hold key positions in the local film sector.

“revolution”

Far from the colorful Hindi-language musicals and shows produced by Bollywood giants in Bombay (west), Kerala studios have made their reputation with less folkloric, more controversial films in Malayalam.

Mollywood now produces up to 200 films a year, and is popular with the 37 million Indians who speak the language, and increasingly with other groups in the most populous country on the planet.

In 1999, Murali Nair’s satirical film “Marana Simhasanam” (“Throne of Death”) gave this cinema a place on the international stage by winning the Camera d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival. This year, the thriller “Manjummel Boys” was a huge commercial success for Kerala cinema, grossing $29 million.

But the work of the Hema Committee has tarnished the reputation of the local film industry.

The committee was launched in 2017 after an actor was arrested on charges of sexually assaulting a popular actress. After being imprisoned for three months, Gopalakrishnan Padmanabhan remains under judicial supervision to this day awaiting trial.

The committee’s conclusions were clear and direct. In addition to numerous instances of violence, the committee’s report describes a system imposed by influential figures in the sector who go so far as to “threaten” victims and their families with “murder” if they report violations.

Actress Parvathy Thiruvothu was quick to describe the report as a “revolution”.

A system against women

“For a long time, there has been this idea that women in the industry should be grateful to the men who gave them the opportunity,” the 36-year-old award-winning actress, who is now active in a group called the Women in Cinema Association, told AFP.

Allegations of sexual violence are not new to Indian cinema. Following the #MeToo movement that began in the United States in 2017 with the exposure of the scandals of former Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, a number of similar cases have emerged in Bollywood.

For Parvathy Thiruvothu, the ripple effect of the Hema report has had a different impact. “This changes everything,” she says. “It goes beyond individual cases and targets a system that has harmed women.”

Since August 19, several actors have faced charges in this regard. The Malayalam Film Artists Association was dissolved after its president resigned, also facing charges.

Sreelekha Mitra’s alleged attacker, Ranjith Balakrishnan, 59, has also resigned as president of the local film academy. Police have opened an indecent assault investigation against him, charges he has publicly denied.

But Parvathy Thiruvothu believes the era of silence is over. “Don’t listen to those who tell you to change jobs if it’s difficult for you,” she says. “You have your place in this industry. Dare to speak up.”