The report has brought to light a deeply entrenched culture of sexual harassment, discrimination, and misconduct existing in Mollywood.
Published Sep 01, 2024 | 8:21 PM ⚊ Updated Sep 01, 2024 | 9:28 PM
Actor Rajinikanth (Supplied)
The Justice Hema Committee report, which has exposed the ugly underbelly of the Malayalam film industry, continues to create shockwaves across India with more and more celebrities being called out each and every day. In this context, Tamil actor, ‘superstar’ Rajinikanth has said he doesn’t know anything about the report.
The actor was on his way back from a shoot on Sunday, 1 September when reporters who had gathered outside his house in Chennai spotted him and asked him for his opinion on the report. When asked if a similar committee should be established in the Tamil cinema industry, Rajinikanth looked surprised and said he doesn’t know anything about the Hema Committee report.
Addressing the media, he said, “I am sorry, I am not aware of such a report. I don’t know anything about that.”
Rajinikanth was returning from Vijayawada after a five-day shoot.
His comment about the report amid it creating shockwaves across film industries if not across the country has shocked people, who took to social media to express their disappointment. Taking to X to criticise Rajinikanth’s comment, writer and poet Meena Kandasamy called it “shameful.”
Absolutely shameful. https://t.co/epQEKsJGOF
— Dr Meena Kandasamy (@meenakandasamy) September 1, 2024
Released on 19 August after five years, it opened Pandora’s box in Mollywood as expected, bringing to light a deeply entrenched culture of sexual harassment, discrimination, and misconduct existing in Mollywood, in what is being referred to as ‘adjustments’ or ‘compromises.’
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.
After not commenting about the issue for a while, only recently Malayalam Mohanlal quit as the president of Association for Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) and actor Mammootty applauded the Kerala government for the report.
Refuting the claims of a “power centre” in the Malayalam film industry, Mammootty said, “Cinema is not an arena where such things can exist.” He urged the industry to join hands and fight unitedly. “It is time for all associations in the film industry to join hands and implement them,” he wrote in social media.
Meanwhile, after resigning from AMMA, Mohanlal claimed that he is neither a part of any power group, or is not aware of the power group mentioned in the Hema Committee report. He further said it’s painful to see the Malayalam industry being tarnished everywhere due to the current scenario. It was for the first time that Mohanlal was addressing the media following the release of the expert panel report which shed light on the alleged harassment and exploitation of women professionals in the Malayalam film industry.
(Edited by Neena)
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