Sexual Exploitation in Malayalam Cinema: The Industry Speaks Out

Malayalam star Parvathy Thiruvothu discusses the urgent need for a clean-up in film industries plagued by sexual exploitation. This comes in the wake of the Justice Hema Committee report highlighting exploitation in Malayalam cinema. The aftermath includes resignations within industry bodies and a call for allies to combat gender discrimination.

Malayalam cinema star Parvathy Thiruvothu has emphasized the necessity for a thorough clean-up across film industries plagued by sexual exploitation. Her comments come as the findings of the Justice Hema Committee report lead to widespread upheaval, with increasing numbers of people speaking out each day.

Promoting her upcoming Tamil film 'Thangalaan,' Parvathy, a member of the Women in Cinema Collective (WCC), stated, 'When we speak up for ourselves, we stand for everyone else. We need allies.' The Kerala government commissioned the Justice Hema panel after pressure from the WCC. 'There is a 'keeda' in all the industries and we will have to clean it up ourselves... But I do believe that things are changing now,' she added.

The extensive Justice Hema Committee report, published on August 19, exposes the power dynamics and exploitation women face in the Malayalam film industry. Following its release, Parvathy expressed gratitude to those supporting the WCC in an Instagram post. In response to the escalating controversy, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has established a seven-member special team to address the issues. Industry leaders, including director Ranjith and actor Siddique, have recently stepped down from key positions.

Amidst this, Parvathy's film 'Thangalaan,' featuring Vikram, is set to release in north Indian theaters in its Hindi version on September 6.