Mollywood Rocked by Sexual Harassment Cases Post Hema Committee Report

The Malayalam film industry, known as Mollywood, has been profoundly affected by the release of the Justice Hema Committee report, which has led to the registration of 17 sexual harassment cases. The report, released in its redacted form last week, has prompted significant upheaval within the industry.

On Tuesday, the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) was dissolved. This decision followed allegations made against some members of the committee, which was first constituted in 2017 in response to a sexual assault case involving actor Dileep and another actress. The report, filed in 2019, was only made public recently, exposing a torrent of allegations against influential figures in the industry.

Among the latest complaints is one from actress Sonia Malhar, who alleges that an unnamed actor molested her in 2013 on a film set. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) formed by the Kerala government is currently investigating this and other cases. Malhar has requested that no unfounded speculation involve actor Jayasurya in her allegations.

Actress Minu Muneer has also spoken out, alleging harassment by several individuals, including actors M Mukesh, Jayasurya, Maniyanpilla Raju, and Idavela Babu. Muneer claims that AMMA secretary Idavela Babu had physically abused her under the guise of assisting with an AMMA membership. She also described a troubling encounter with Jayasurya, where he allegedly kissed her without consent and offered her work in exchange for a relationship. Muneer has further accused Mukesh of denying her AMMA membership after she rejected his advances.

Mukesh has responded to these accusations by requesting a thorough investigation, suggesting that Muneer might be attempting to blackmail him. He has claimed that Muneer sought financial assistance from him.

Additionally, Bengali actress Sreelekha Mitra has accused director Ranjith of molestation, reflecting on the pervasive issue of harassment within the industry. Mitra describes the problem as “rampant” and “normalised,” with a system that pressures women to comply or remain silent.

The Hema Committee report has unveiled a “power nexus” within the industry, implicating a small group of producers, directors, actors, and production controllers in systemic abuse. In response to the findings, Kerala’s women’s commission has announced plans to establish grievance redressal committees on film sets in accordance with the POSH Act, aiming to address and prevent such issues in the future.