The Hema Committee Report has received the support of an actor Revathi, who has won the National Award three times. She is also one of the founders of Women in Cinema Collective (WCC) and has since been vocal in advocating for a safer industry for women. The groundbreaking report commissioned by Kerala government takes 233 pages to expose the extensive exploitation and harassment that female professionals face within the Malayalam film industry.“Everybody took it with all seriousness,” stated Revathi, adding that now this report has become not just another tale but official evidence of systemic problems in the sector. According to it, there is a “gang” which is criminal and wants to drive away any woman who refuses to submit under its sway thereby making it an initial attempt in any Indian cinema.The report’s release prompted several Malayalam actors to come out and share their experiences, which many people referred to as the #MeToo moment of the industry. Furthermore, some key resignations followed this report that also included filmmaker Ranjith who quit as Chairman of Kerala Chalachitra Academy in response to allegations of impropriety while Siddique the actor resigned his post as secretary general of Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) on sexual assault allegations.Revathi stressed that there are a lot who have kept quiet for years but now feel that they can open up after reading the report. “Some men have been saying this has happened to them for years – 19 years ago, 16 years ago. It is like they have been silenced forever. The release of Hema Committee Report has kindled faith that it is alright to speak,” she said.After the report was released, Kerala government stated its intention to form a Special Investigative Team (SIT) to look into all those claims made by survivors. Revathi admitted that though it took so long before any steps were taken, she still appreciated Pinarayi Vijayan administration for having had courage enough to address these issues.As for the silence of Malayalam superstars Mohanlal and Mammootty on the report, Revathi explained that they might be as flabbergasted as anybody else but opted to remain mute. She vowed that WCC would still strive for significant changes and safe workplaces for women in the industry. “We are trying to bring some kind of culmination to make our workspace safe in every way. I am sure this will not die down…the government will respond,” she said.Revathi emphasized that sexual harassment is a major issue, but mental torture is another concern that should be tackled with urgency. “Just being in a workplace where men drink when they should be working is one of the hardest spaces to be”, she added, highlighting some other challenges facing women within the industry.
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