Hema Committee Report: Key Developments So Far As #MeToo Wave Engulfs Mollywood | Top Points

#MeToo In Mollywood: A storm is brewing in the Malayalam film industry after several cases have been registered in connection with sexual harassment allegations following the Hema Committee Report. The 235-page report was recently made public revealing instances of harassment and exploitation of women in Mollywood.

On Tuesday, the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) dissolved its 17-member executive committee. The state-run film body's president, veteran actor Mohanlal and other members of the body resigned en masse. Since the Hema Committee Report went public, numerous actresses have come forward and accused prominent figures in Mollywood of sexual misconduct and harassment. Here are the key developments in the scandal so far.

People in power facing #MeToo allegations resign from top posts

A case of molestation was filed by Bengali actress Sreelekha Mitra against director Ranjith. However, he denied the allegations and claimed to be a victim. A case under IPC Section 354 (assault or criminal force on a woman with intent to outrage her modesty) has been registered against Ranjith. A day later, he resigned as the chairman of the Kerala State Chalachithra Academy.

This was followed by Malayalam actress Revathy Sampath alleging that she was sexually assaulted by actor Siddique when she was 21. Siddique resigned as the General Secretary of AMMA.

Another actress, Minu Muneer, levelled sexual abuse allegations against prominent actors M Mukesh, who is also an MLA, Jayasurya and Maniyanpilla Raju, as well as small-time actor Idavela Babu who has a prominent role in the actors' association.

Actress Sonia Malhaar has alleged that an actor molested her on a film set in 2013. She lodged a complaint with the Special Investigation Team and urged the media not to link actor Jayasurya to her allegations.

A fresh complaint has been filed by a Malayalam actress (name hidden) against Siddique. She has accused the veteran actor of sexually assaulting her in 2016.  

SIT formation to AMMA dissolution, key developments so far

Owing to the mounting pressure, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan held a high-level meeting of senior police officials on Sunday and constituted a seven-member team to probe allegations of harassment against women professionals in Mollywood. The team is headed by IG Sparjan Kumar and includes four senior women IPS officers of Kerala.

On Wednesday, the Film Employee Federation Of Kerala (FEFKA) demanded the release of the names of those accused in the Hema Committee Report. As per the press release, they also stated that disciplinary action would be taken if any of its members were arrested.

17-member AMMA has been dissolved with President Mohanlal and 15 other executive committee members submitting their resignations on "moral grounds".

Who said what?

Actor-director Prithviraj Sukumaran demanded strict action against perpetrators in Mollywood. "There should be a proper probe into the report and if the allegations against someone are proven right, very strong action should be there and at the same time, if proven wrong, the same strong action should be made against those who raised it," he said.

Asha Sharath issued a lengthy statement after reports claimed that Siddique behaved inappropriately with her during the shooting of Jeethu Joseph's film Drishyam. The actress stated that she is good friends with him and deemed him a ‘respected colleague’.

Mukesh M, who was accused of sexual misconduct by Minu Muneer, denied the allegations and issued a press release asserting his innocence. He alleged that Muneer had previously sought financial assistance and attempted to blackmail him. "This group, which has been persistently blackmailing me for money, has now turned against me at this opportune moment," Mukesh stated. He has called for a thorough and transparent investigation to clear his name.