Seventeen cases have been filed in connection with sexual harassment allegations that have rocked the Malayalam film industry, resulting in the dissolution of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA). Several actors and filmmakers are expected to be questioned as part of the investigation.
The most recent complaint was filed by actor Sonia Malhaar, who alleges she was molested by an actor on a film set in 2013. Malhaar has submitted her complaint to the Special Investigation Team (SIT) established by the Kerala government to address the ‘#MeToo’ movement in the film industry. She has specifically requested that the media refrain from associating actor Jayasurya with her allegations.
Actor Minu Muneer, who previously accused actors M Mukesh, Jayasurya, Maniyanpilla Raju, and Idavela Babu of harassment during film shoots, has reported receiving threatening messages since speaking out. She recently shared a screenshot of a threatening message she received on social media. The SIT will soon record her statement as part of their investigation.
In an interview with NDTV, Muneer recounted a disturbing incident where actor Jayasurya allegedly hugged and kissed her without consent after she exited a restroom on a film set. She claimed that he then offered her more work if she agreed to be with him. Muneer also accused former AMMA secretary Idavela Babu of luring her to his apartment under the guise of helping her obtain an AMMA membership and then physically abusing her. Additionally, she alleged that actor Mukesh, an MLA of the ruling CPM, denied her AMMA membership after she rejected his advances.
“There is a lot of exploitation in the Malayalam film industry. I am both a witness and a victim. When I moved to Chennai, no one reached out to me to ask what had happened,” Muneer told NDTV.
Responding to the allegations, Mukesh has called for a thorough investigation to clear his name. He claimed that Muneer had previously sought financial assistance from him and attempted to blackmail him. “This group, which has been persistently blackmailing me for money, has now turned against me at this opportune moment,” he stated. Mukesh has since been removed from a government panel tasked with formulating film policy.
Bengali film actor Sreelekha Mitra also spoke to NDTV, accusing film director Ranjith of molestation and acknowledging that harassment of women is an open secret in the film industry. “Women actors need to learn to say no. They are often insecure about their jobs, fearing that if they refuse, someone else will accept. The system is such that you either comply or lose opportunities,” she said. “Everyone knows about it. It’s not something new. In this industry, harassment is rampant and has been normalized.”
In response to the wave of allegations, the Malayalam film industry’s leading decision-making body, AMMA, decided to dissolve itself “in light of the allegations made by some actors against some of the committee members.” Prominent actor Mohanlal has stepped down as president of the organization.
These allegations come on the heels of the public release of the Justice Hema Committee report last week. The 235-page report, which has redacted the names of witnesses and the accused, states that the Malayalam film industry is controlled by a small group of 10-15 male producers, directors, and actors.
The three-member Justice Hema Committee was established by the state government in 2017 and submitted its findings in 2019. However, the report had not been made public until recently due to legal challenges to its release.
