Pointing fingers at the media after the publication of Hema Committee reports is seen as a tactic to divert attention from the core issue — the rot in Malayalam film industry.
Published Aug 29, 2024 | 3:00 PM ⚊ Updated Aug 29, 2024 | 3:00 PM
Left to right: Suresh Gopi, Journalist Aparna Sen, Film Activist Arathy Sebastian, and Actor Shammi Thilakan. (Supplied)
US movie producer and sex offender Harvey Weinstein’s intimidating presence is felt throughout the 2022 movie, She Said. Intimidation was one of the tactics his camp used to gag New York Times reporters Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey, who investigated Weinstein’s atrocities.
Cut to 2024. The K Hema Committee report — kept in cold storage for five years due to claimed sensitive contents and to protect privacy — kicked up a storm in Kerala, exposing the local film industry’s ugly underbelly, and its many Weinsteins.
Several tinsel screen idols have lost their halos in the overwhelming MeToo waves caused by the redacted version of the Hema Committee report. A special investigation team comprising also female IPS officers is now probing the allegations.
The media in Kerala raced to break news as and when it happened, shifting the focus from the devastating landslides that have left a trail of death and destruction. The sudden shift in focus, however, did not go well with all in the film industry.
Incidentally, the government was the first to offer a defence. Minister for Culture Saji Cheriyan sprang to the defence of Ranjith Balakrishnan, filmmaker and former chief of Kerala Chalachithra Academy, soon after a woman actor went on record saying he had attempted to molest her years ago.
The storm, however, was too strong for the government’s liking as it keeled over. Ranjith resigned a night after Siddique, general secretary of the powerful Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) stepped down from the post following an allegation of rape.
AMMA’s president Mohanlal, too, resigned along with the organisation’s executive committee, though reports later said all members had not put in their papers. The split has become visible as if focus lights were turned on them.
It also triggered a cold war with the media.
Even as voices, apparently led by veterans Jagadish and Urvashi — not to forget the pivotal role of the Women in Cinema Collective — demanded an overhaul of the prevailing system of “adjustments” (a euphemism for sexual favours) and blackballing in the Malayalam film industry, some others sought to defend the industry. Among them was Suresh Gopi, Union Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas, and the Ministry of Tourism.
When confronted with questions about the sensitive issues in Malayalam cinema, Gopi’s aggressive response, which escalated to manhandling journalists, underscored the growing hostility and the lengths to which certain factions would go to suppress critical discourse.
The Union minister lectured the media on what to ask and pushed aside a journalist for shooting an inconvenient question. He has now lodged a police complaint against the media for blocking his way. He went ahead and filed a complaint against media persons with the police leading to an FIR.
Needless to say, Gopi’s tone in Thrissur reminded that of Weinstein, heard in She Said.
Based on his complaint, the Thrissur police on Thursday, 29 August, registered a first information report against journalists under sections 329(3), 126(2), and 132 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Samhita, for obstructing the duties of security personnel.
Prominent actors and technicians have been increasingly evasive when questioned, often resorting to tactics like whataboutism, deflecting inquiries by posing counter-questions, or diverting attention from core issues.
This subtle yet deliberate strategy seems to be part of a broader attempt to control the narrative and sideline uncomfortable topics.
On 23 August, a photo surfaced, featuring producer Antony Perumbavoor with superstars Mohanlal and Mammootty.
The image, highlighted by handshake emojis and mentions of their respective production companies—Mammootty Kampany and Aashirvad Cinemas—has ignited speculation about a possible joint project involving both stars.
While the photograph generated considerable excitement among fans, it also drew criticism from activists. Some viewed the potential collaboration as a distraction from ongoing discussions about the Hema Committee report, questioning its timing and authenticity.
The superstars’ silence on the matter heightened the scrutiny and debate surrounding the buzz.
Tovino Thomas, one of the film industry’s prominent young stars, was among the first to respond to media inquiries after the release of the Hema Committee report.
In his public statement, he addressed the recent resignations of Ranjith and Siddique. While he asserted that wrongdoers must be held accountable, his remarks have been criticised for whataboutery, shifting focus rather than directly addressing the core issues at hand.
“These are very sensitive issues. In this state, there are laws to handle such matters. If you people don’t believe in our system, that is another matter for discussion. Does the media need a mob trial or a media trial,” he asked.
Thomas further advised the media on what it should do. “You should sincerely intervene in these matters, not only aim for TRP ratings. You people say this only happens in the film industry, but such incidents have also happened in the media field,” Thomas, who played a ruthless TV anchor in the 2022 neo-noir psychological thriller Naradan, told reporters.
An important comment in the initial stage came from actor and scriptwriter Renji Panicker. Speaking to the media on 25 August, Panicker criticised the notion of imposing bans, stating that such practices have no place in a civilised society and that no one could lay claim to moral superiority.
He argued against banning individuals from engaging in creative pursuits like writing or filmmaking, asserting that while boycotts might occur, outright bans were unacceptable. Panicker, also a journalist once, also questioned whether those affected should leave the country, reiterating that they were part of the society and must continue living within it, with the law taking its natural course.
“In the media field, there are also people who have confronted similar allegations in the past. Are they not working here now? They are also working in media houses. In India, everything happens based on values and discipline. Your discipline is determined by your organisation. No one can claim more values and discipline than what is set by their organisation.” he added.
Activists felt Panicker’s whataboutery was an attempt to divert attention. “Cyberspace always gravitates toward new content. This is precisely what’s happening now. Many intentional efforts are underway behind the scenes to shift the focus of the discussion,” Arathy Sebastian, a prominent film activist and associate director, told South First.
Actor Shammi Thilakan found fault with the government. “This issue is not progressing properly. There has been so much delay and confusion from the state itself. The government hasn’t released the report for four years,” he pointed out.
The Hema Committee, formed in 2017 after the sexual assault on a woman actor allegedly at the behest of actor Dileep, submitted the report in December 2019. A censored version of the report was made public only on 19 August 2024.
“The public remains unaware of any verdicts, legal decisions, or judgments that were made during that period if any. The government has given time for the culprits to create escape routes. It seems there are deliberate attempts to divert the media’s focus from these critical issues,” Thilakan told South First.
The actor said such a manipulation had occurred during the Covid-19 pandemic when everyone, including the media, focused on the killer disease.
“The real estate mafias then secured several significant judgments from the high court. I can attest to this because I was actively involved in fighting against these mafias, appearing before the high court via videoconference multiple times,” he claimed.
Thilakan hastened to add that he was not blaming the high court. The accuser, that is the government, must present the case effectively to obtain a proper verdict. Otherwise, the state will fail. I have substantial documentary evidence in this matter,” he further stated.
“I fear that the same might happen with the Hema Committee report and recent allegations. The judiciary’s decision is crucial. Therefore, the government, police, and media should concentrate on that aspect as well. Delays may allow the accused to find loopholes,” he opined.
Thilakan said that many groups, including mafias associated with the film industry, would try to shift the focus. “It is only because of the media that this topic remains in the spotlight. Abuse is happening in every field, which is well-known. However, when questions are asked, making counter-questions to normalise things is not acceptable. These issues should be addressed directly,” he asserted.
Independent journalist Aparna Sen felt the whataboutery was like the proverbial pot calling the kettle black.
“Exploitation of women is happening everywhere, including in the media industry. But the problem is that it can’t be used to normalise the ongoing serious allegations associated with the Malayalam film industry. The Hema Committee was constituted following the WCC’s efforts, and the report details the harassment and exploitation within the film industry, not in any other field,” she told South First.
Sen welcomed any intention to highlight the exploitation, harassment, and injustice in the media field. “It is a fact that women in media are exploited, and it deserves equal attention. But don’t mix things up to divert attention and discussion from the topic at hand,” she said.
The journalist further offered a warning. “The Indian society is more patriarchal. If one allegation proves false or invalid, it is often used to dismiss all other allegations as such, which would undermine the entire efforts of both the government and media.”
Sen scoffed at the love film stars have for woman journalists. “Did anyone stand with a woman journalist when she opened up about the exploitation she had faced? No. So, we can begin the cleansing process from the film industry and hope it will extend to the media field as well.’’ she said.
On Minister Gopi’s outburst in Thrissur, Sen said it was the usual tactic of the Sangh Parivar to divert attention from core issues by creating baseless controversies.
“We have many examples of this in politics. Now, Suresh Gopi is doing the same, not for political reasons, but to protect his colleagues. Nothing is surprising about it,” she added.
The question that provoked Gopi was on the BJP state unit criticising his stand on the allegation against CPI(M) MLA and actor Mukesh. On Thursday, 29 August, a rape case was filed against Mukesh at the Maradu police station in Ernakulam.
Arathy Sebastian is active in cyberspace. She elaborated on the ‘game’ behind the current situation.
“When the media raises critical points, celebrities often begin to skip and digress. They are unwilling to address what needs to be addressed, resorting instead to counter-questions, mixing it with politics, and so on. These are all conscious attempts to evade accountability,” she told South First.
Sebastian has noticed the change of view in cyberspace. After the release of the Hema Committee report, the public initially stood with the survivors and supported the women. However, over time, the topic fragmented, and discussions began to deviate towards politics, fan fights, and questioning the genuineness of the survivors.
“Paid fan pages also played a role in whitewashing their stars,” she said.
Recently, some voices in cyberspace and from the film fraternity have raised questions about why the survivors had not spoken out at the time of the alleged incidents. They try to undermine the survivors’ credibility by suggesting that their responses were invalid because they did not complain earlier.
“This approach seeks to further traumatise the survivors,” Sebastian opined. “The important issue is not when they chose to speak but what they revealed. Conscious attempts to investigate the past lives of survivors are also on.”
Sebastian lauded the media for the role it played in the release of the Hema Committee report, pressuring the system to take action.
“It is evident that those who have committed misdeeds fear the media and use their resources to hit back. While similar issues occur in various fields, they are not as severe as in the film industry. It highlights the extreme nature of the situation when a woman film actor is compelled to bring her parents or security personnel to their workplace,” she said.
(Edited by Majnu Babu)
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