'Everything we went through wasn't for nothing': Parvathy reacts to Hema committee's report highlighting harassment against women in Malayalam industry 

Parvathy

For years, the members of Kerala's Women in Cinema Collective (WCC) fought the tough battle to make the film industry a better place for women.

After the reports and findings by the Hema Committee was made public today, actress Parvathy who is one of the most vocal members of WCC and among the leading actors of the film industry, expressed her excitement. She took to Instagram to pen her thoughts after the release of the report in the public domain.

"Never thought this day would come. Thanks to everyone who stood by us. Believed us. And my women. My fellow warriors. Everything we went through wasn't for nothing. In the end, the truth will come out."

After the report was made public, the official handle of WCC expressed their gratitude to the committee. "The sky is full of mysteries; with the twinkling stars and the beautiful moon. But, scientific investigation revealed that stars do not twinkle nor does the moon look beautiful. The study, therefore, cautions; Do not trust what you see, even salt looks like sugar!" Justice Hema Committee Report."

The note further read, "It has been a long journey for us! We believed that our fight for justice for all women wanting a dignified professional space in the film industry was the right fight. Today we stand vindicated. The publishing of the Hema Committee report is another step that WCC has taken. This is the first time in the history of cinema that we have a report of how gender works in the film industry. We thank Justice Hema, Ms Sarada and Dr. Valsalakumari for the long hours they have spent creating this report."

About the Hema Committee findings:

The much-awaited Justice Hema Committee report on harassment faced by women in Malayalam cinema industry has recorded explosive accounts of harassment, exploitation and ill-treatment of the female professionals, and has alleged that a "criminal gang" was controlling the industry where unyielding women are squeezed out.

The panel report also alleged there was a "power nexus" consisting of a handful of producers, directors, actors and production controllers.
The Kerala government constituted the panel after the 2017 actress assault case involving actor Dileep to study issues of sexual harassment and gender inequality in Malayalam cinema.

The report released on Monday sheds light on the widespread and persistent sexual harassment faced by women in the Malayalam cinema industry, with many alleging they were subjected to unwanted advances even before commencing work.

The women actors who are ready to compromise are given code names, and those who are not ready to yield are pushed out of the field, as per the report.

The copy of the report was given to the media under the RTI Act after five years of its submission to the government.

In a series of shocking and shameful revelations, the report stated that female actors faced harassment, including instances where the doors of their rooms were knocked on by intoxicated individuals in the film industry.

Many of them, who suffered sexual harassment, were reluctant to complain about this to the police due to fear, it said.