ARTICLE
Following the release of the Justice Hema Committee report , the Malayalam film industry has been shaken by allegations of sexual harassment and retaliation from named individuals. Both survivors and alleged perpetrators are now gearing up for legal battles as many of them have filed complaints against each other. Renowned Bengali actor Sreelekha Mitra, who recently accused filmmaker Ranjith Balakrishnan of misbehaviour during the casting process of his 2009 Malayalam film Paleri Manikyam: Oru Pathirakolapathakathinte Katha, filed a complaint with the Kochi City Police against the director on Monday, news agency ANI reported. Although Ranjith had denied the allegations initially, he was eventually compelled to resign as the head of the government-run Kerala Chalachitra Academy. In another development, the senior actor, who stepped down from his position as general secretary of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) after being accused of rape, has also filed a complaint with the Kerala police, against the survivor. “The complaint has been submitted to the Director General of Police,” an official with Kerala police was quoted as saying by ANI . A young writer, meanwhile, has accused director VK Prakash of misbehaviour and has filed a complaint with the special investigation team established by the Kerala government to probe allegations of sexual misconduct raised against prominent figures in the Malayalam film industry, Mathrubhumi reported. In the aftermath of the release of the Justice Hema Committee report, the government had formed a team of seven high-ranking police officers. The team is led by IG Sparjan Kumar, with ADGP H Venkatesh overseeing the probe. Four of the seven-member team are reportedly women IPS officers. The junior artiste who accused actor-producer Baburaj of sexually assaulting her in 2019 has also stated she is willing to talk to the police. Baburaj, meanwhile, denied the allegation and said he would “initiate legal action” against the junior artiste. The redacted version of the Justice Hema Committee report, released on August 19, made significant revelations, highlighting extreme discrimination and exploitation faced by women in the Malayalam film industry . This includes issues such as the casting couch, lack of basic facilities on sets, pay disparities, and ostracism for those who refuse to comply with demands from perpetrators. None
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