Of 120 FIRs filed, only 26 reached the charge sheet stage. Just one of 35 Hema Committee-linked cases progressed, while 25 others stemmed from public testimonies and online disclosures
Published Jun 03, 2025 | 8:00 AM ⚊ Updated Jun 03, 2025 | 8:15 AM
Malayalam actors
Synopsis: Launched in 2017 amid public outcry over misogyny in Malayalam cinema, the Hema Committee once symbolised reform. But progress has stalled—police probes lag, cases remain unresolved, and the SIT faces roadblocks
When the Kerala government set up the Hema Committee in 2017 to probe deep-rooted misogyny and harassment in the Malayalam film industry, it was hailed as a landmark move, a response shaped by survivor testimonies and public outcry.
The initiative promised a safer, more equitable work environment for women. However, what began as a progressive step toward reform now appears to be losing steam.
Police investigations have slowed, and several cases remain unresolved. After a prolonged delay and following a High Court directive, a redacted version of the Hema Committee report was finally released on August 19, 2024. The Special Investigation Team (SIT) formed to follow up on the Hema Committee’s findings has reportedly hit a wall.
According to recent reports, investigations into numerous workplace harassment complaints have been paused, with survivors unwilling or hesitant to record formal statements. In official submissions to various courts, the SIT has stated it is unable to proceed without their cooperation. The team has clarified that the probe can only resume when survivors are ready to engage with the legal process.
This development comes despite the Kerala Police registering a total of 120 FIRs related to the revelations, 35 based directly on the Hema Committee report and 85 from testimonies shared on social media and in public spaces following the report’s leak.
However, without survivor participation, the legal process has ground to a halt in most of these cases.
Of the 120 FIRs filed, only 26 have reached the charge sheet stage. Notably, only one of the 35 cases stemming directly from the Hema Committee report, which involved accusations against a makeup artist, has resulted in a charge sheet.
The remaining 25 charge sheets were from the 85 cases that emerged in the aftermath, fueled by the courage of women speaking out online and at public forums.
Activists and industry insiders now fear that what was supposed to be a systemic reckoning could fizzle out without delivering justice or change. The unwillingness of survivors to engage, likely due to fear of backlash, lack of trust in the system, or personal trauma, underscores the deeper issue of institutional failure in ensuring a safe space for testimony and redressal.
What was once hailed as a revolution is now, tragically, at risk of becoming another unfinished chapter in Kerala’s struggle for gender justice in cinema.
Actor Parvathy Thiruvoth has strongly criticised the SIT decision to stall the probe related to the revelations made before the Justice Hema Committee, which was constituted to study the experiences of women in the Malayalam film industry. Taking to Instagram, she directly questioned Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
“Now we can focus on the actual reason this committee was formed? Putting policies in place to help make regulations in the industry? What is happening with that, @CMOKerala? No rush, eh? It’s only been five and a half years since the report was submitted,” she wrote in her story.
Parvathy’s Instagram Story
Meanwhile, actor Mala Parvathy, who had approached the Supreme Court seeking to quash the proceedings initiated by the SIT based on her confidential statements to the Hema Committee, received a favourable verdict.
The apex court noted that survivors and those who stood by them should not be harassed in the name of a probe.
When contacted by South First, Mala Parvathy said the Hema Committee had certainly made an impact.
”There is a clear distinction in the industry before and after the committee’s report. Internal Complaints Committees are stronger now. Women have less fear when it comes to speaking out about harassment,” she said.
However, she added that the committee’s legacy is not without complications.
”One notable consequence is that the industry is now hesitant to hire women in various roles. Producers do not want to take risks, so they often avoid accommodating women altogether. Recently, I worked on a production in Mumbai where most of the crew were women, and many of them were Malayalis. When I asked them why they weren’t working in Malayalam films, they said they don’t even get calls. They’re now seeking jobs outside Kerala and in advertising agencies,” she noted.
Mala Parvathy questioned whether the committee had ultimately fulfilled its purpose, to make the Malayalam film industry a safer, more inclusive space for women.
”The media’s binary and often biased narrative has put the SIT, the government, and even the judiciary under pressure. Somewhere along the way, the core intent of such a powerful initiative is being lost,” she said.
When South First approached an officer from the SIT, he said the cases based on the Hema Committee report lacked specific names, making it necessary to reach out to survivors.
”Many chose not to proceed, and even after three court notices, they didn’t turn up to give statements. We’ve informed the court that we are ready to resume the probe if and when they come forward,” the officer added.
Supreme Court lawyer Adv. Babila Ummer Khan told South First, “This clearly shows that the Malayalam film industry is still controlled by so-called mafias. That’s why women hesitate to speak out—they lose work if they do. How can they open up in such a climate? The actress who was a victim of sexual assault is still fighting for justice. She hasn’t received any work and has remained at home for years. FIRs need to be strong—without proper statements and evidence, they can’t be enforced effectively, and legal proceedings get stalled. In both legal and societal arenas, the mafias—the power groups within the Malayalam film industry—seem to be winning.”
(Edited by Ananya Rao)
