Mollywood #MeToo Ripple Effect: WCC Demands Telangana Govt To Publish Voice Of Women Report

Tollywood Joins #MeToo Uproar: The findings of the Justice Hema Committee Report have brought the entire Malayalam film industry to a standstill. The 235-page report details the systematic sexual abuse and discrimination endured by women professionals in Mollywood. The committee was formed in 2017 after a Malayalam actress shared instances of sexual abuse she felt on set. The report was filed in 2019 and was finally made official in 2024 causing a stir in the industry with several bigwigs under scrutiny for their questionable behaviour. The 2017 incident gave birth to The Women in Cinema Collective (WCC), comprising women actors, producers, directors and technicians. The body works towards the safety and empowerment of women in the workplace. After triggering a storm in Mollywood, the committee is determined to expose the harassment and abuse faced by women in the Telugu film industry as well.

WCC urges the Telangana government to publish the report submitted by the support group

On August 30, days after the findings of the Justice Hema Committee Report were made public, the Women in Collective Cinema urged the Telangana government to make the findings by their special committee public. In a statement, the body shared, “We, the women of the Telugu film industry, welcome the Hema Committee report and applaud the persistent efforts of the WCC in Kerala, which has laid the path to this momentum.”

The statement then asserted that a support group was created for the women of the Telugu film industry in 2019. The statement continued, “Taking cue from the WCC, The Voice of Women, a support group for women in the TFI, was created in 2019.” They further urged the government to publish the findings of the report.

The statement concluded, “We hereby urge the Telangana government, to publish the submitted sub-committee report on sexual harassment, which can help frame government and industry policies, to establish a safe working environment for women in the TFI.”

Samantha Ruth Prabhu, singer Kousalya, Nandini Reddy support WCC

As soon as the Women in Collective Cinema put out the statement, several actresses and members of the industry joined the movement. Samantha Ruth Prabhu, who has always been a vocal advocate for the body shared the statement on her Instagram story showing her support. Others who did the same are filmmaker Nandini Reddy, singer Kousalya, and actor Suma Kanakala among others.

The WCC came into existence in 2017 and has been since then working towards making cinema spaces safer and more equitable for women. They deal with several sexual harassment, abuse and assault cases and guide the victims with necessary steps. Off lately, the body has been giving strength to the #MeToo movement and actively demanding justice for the victims. Beena Paul, Manju Warrier, Rima Kallingal, Parvathy, Vidhu Vincent, Sajitha Madathil, Deedi Damodaran, Fousia Fathima, Ramya Nambeesan, Sayanora Philip, Anjali Menon, Asha Aachi Joseph, Indu Namboothiri and others were WCC's founding members.