FIENDISH ‘AATTAM' BEHIND THE SCENES

The Malayalam film industry - which has produced some outstanding movies that have gone on to win national and international acclaim - has an underbelly that is rotten and stinking to the core.

- Shankar Raj

• After inexplicable delay, Hema panel report reveals an all-male lustful gang controls the industry, harassing & abusing women

This is the crux of the Justice K Hema Committee Report that was released Monday by the Kerala Government, after four years of inexplicable delay.

The committee that went into the working conditions of women in the Malayalam film industry had some shocking revelations to make, including details of how an all-male criminal gang controls the industry with an iron grip.

The report was released under the RTI Act after masking 63 pages from the 295-page draft in order to protect the women who gave evidence of shocking sexual harassment, harrowing work experience and how powerful actors, producers and others sought sexual favours, including sex, for surviving in the industry (see box).

Backroom efforts were made to stall the report till the last moment by people connected and outsiders by seeking a stay from the Kerala High Court.

A powerful lust-filled lobby determines who should stay in the industry and who should be cast in films.

"In the course of the study, we understood that the Malayalam film industry is under the control/clutches of certain producers, directors, actors all male.

They control the whole of Malayalam industry and they dominate other persons working in the cinema," the report said.