Actor Siddique (left) and filmmaker Ranjith. File
| Photo Credit: The Hindu
The Justice K. Hema committee’s report on the issues faced by women in the Malayalam film industry continued to rock the film world, as Sunday (August 25, 2024) witnessed the exits of two high-profile men holding important positions. The government, under pressure by the Opposition and the film industry, set up a Special Investigation Team (SIT), including senior women police officers, to conduct a preliminary inquiry into sexual harassment allegations made against several actors.
Actor Siddique quit as the general secretary of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes (AMMA) following allegations of sexual assault levelled by a young actress, while Kerala State Chalachitra Academy chairperson Ranjith submitted his resignation after Bengali actress Sreelekha Mitra accused him of inappropriate behaviour.
The debates sparked in the public sphere by the release of the report appeared to have emboldened many women to speak out about harrowing experiences they have had in the past. Over the last couple of days, quite a few women, including Ms. Mitra and the young actress, have come out with allegations against actors and filmmakers.
‘Voluntary resignation’
Mr. Siddique confirmed to The Hindu that he had submitted his resignation letter to actor Mohanlal, the president of AMMA, in light of the allegations against him.
“I submitted the resignation voluntarily since it is inappropriate to continue in that position when I am facing such an allegation. No one demanded for my resignation. Let the truth come out,” said Mr. Siddique. When asked about his response to the allegations, he said that he would respond in detail after he gets legal advice.
Sexual assault allegations
The young actress had spoken to the media on Saturday evening, accusing Mr. Siddique of sexually assaulting her after calling her to Thiruvananthapuram for the audition of a “non-existent movie”.
“Siddique got in touch with me through a social media platform and offered me a role in a Tamil movie in which his son would also be acting. I did not doubt his intentions because he always used to call me daughter. Later, I came to Thiruvananthapuram to take forward the offer. It was a trap. Such a movie did not exist. He sexually assaulted me for an hour in a hotel room. He hit and kicked me when I resisted. Some of my friends too had similar experiences from him. I had to give up my dreams and go through a lot of mental health issues,” she said.
Mr. Siddique’s resignation comes two days after he spoke to the media to give AMMA’s first official response to the Hema committee report. He had specifically said that the organisation has not received any complaints about a ‘casting couch’.
‘Inappropriate behaviour’
Hardly an hour after Mr. Siddique’s resignation came Mr. Ranjith’s announcement. He confirmed to The Hindu that he has submitted his resignation to Kerala Minister for Cultural Affairs Saji Cherian. In a voice clip he sent out to the media, he said that he does not want the situation that he was facing as an individual to be used to tarnish the image of the State government which appointed him. He said he would respond legally to the allegations and expressed confidence that the truth would come out one day.
Ms. Mitra had accused Mr. Ranjith of behaving misappropriately with her during the pre-production period of the 2009 Malayalam film Paleri Manikyam: Oru Pathirakolapathakathinte Katha. Her allegations were corroborated by documentary filmmaker Joshy Joseph, who said that she had told him about the incident on the same day. Mr. Ranjith had denied the allegations although he agreed that she had met him as part of an audition for the role in the presence of other crew members.
Intense pressure
After the allegations were levelled on Friday (August 22, 2024), the State government came under intense pressure from film industry figures as well as the Opposition and even from within the Left Democratic Front (LDF) to force Mr. Ranjith to resign. However, Mr. Cherian had maintained that Mr. Ranjith, an acclaimed filmmaker, could not be punished just based on accusations. If a formal complaint is received, strong action will be taken, he had said.
On Sunday (August 25, 2024), Mr. Cherian told the media that the government would accept the filmmaker’s resignation as soon as he sent it. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) activists also took out a protest march to Mr. Ranjith’s residence in Kozhikode on Sunday, demanding his resignation.
Political storm
Several women have also accused former AMMA general secretary Edavela Babu, and actors Mukesh, Sudheesh, and Riyas Khan of sexually harassing or misbehaving with them. The public disclosures reportedly forced the State government to change its earlier stand that it required a complaint or legally relevant materials to act on the allegations and the K. Hema Committee report.
What the Hema Committee report says about the Malayalam film industry
The allegations have triggered a political storm in the State, with the Opposition alleging that the government is siding with the perpetrators of sexual violence by not acting on the report that was submitted nearly four years ago. The Opposition is also planning to step up pressure on the government by initiating legal proceedings in the case.
The SIT, which is to be headed by Inspector General G. Sparjan Kumar, includes four senior women police officers among its members, as it will carry out the preliminary inquiry under Section 173 (1) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, which states that a woman police officer shall record the information given by a woman against whom sexual offences have been committed or attempted.