However, the majority of the messages of support and unity have come from women; detractors claim that the silence of influential males, including some of India’s most well-known and well-liked celebrities, is deafening.
The Hema Committee report, which is based on the testimonies of 51 members of the Kerala-based film industry, exposes decades of exploitation by stating that “women have been asked to make themselves available for sex on demand” and that they were frequently instructed to “compromise and adjustments” in order to get employment.
A group of women working in the Malayalam film industry called Women in Cinema Collective (WCC) filed a government petition in 2017, alleging that a group of men had sexually assaulted a well-known actress, allegedly at the actor’s request. This led to the creation of the panel.
Their 290-page report, portions of which were redacted to conceal the identity of the harassers and survivors, was made public last month.
However, since its August 19 premiere, a number of women have openly discussed their experiences, and over a dozen police complaints have been made against male actors, directors, producers, and other powerful males.
A special investigative team (SIT) has been established by the state government to investigate the claims and the Kerala high.
