Thiruvananthapuram/Kochi/Palakkad, Sep 1 (PTI) Actor Mammootty and the Film Employees Federation of Kerala on Sunday denied the presence of any “power group” in the cinema world as claimed in the Justice Hema Committee report, while BJP chief J P Nadda accused the Left government in Kerala of delaying release of the panel’s findings to protect some CPI(M) leaders.
Breaking his silence, Mammootty, in a Facebook post, said there was no power group in the film industry and that he wholeheartedly welcomes and supports the recommendations and solutions in the committee’s report.
He called upon everyone working in the film industry to be vigilant so that nothing untoward happens there and urged all associations in the cinema world to join hands in implementing the panel’s recommendations.
The actor praised the state government’s initiative to constitute the Justice Hema Committee and requested it to implement the recommendations of the panel by enacting necessary legislation if there were any legal hurdles.
The Women in Cinema Collective (WCC), an outfit of women professionals in the industry, called for rebuilding “our workplace” saying that “change is necessary”.
In a Facebook post, the WCC said that now was the time for the state government and other film organisations “to stand together and realise their responsibility in transforming the film industry into a gender-just workplace”.
Film Employees Federation of Kerala (FEFKA) general secretary B Unnikrishnan too echoed similar views when he called for implementation of the panel’s recommendations.
He said there was no power group in the industry, but conceded that there were some “strong alliances” of some production houses with certain directors, writers and actors to make big movies and said that these were present in all film industries.
He also admitted to the presence of the “casting couch” in the industry and emphasised on the need to disclose the names of the perpetrators in the Hema Committee report.
Their responses came a day after actor Mohanlal, broke his silence over the shocking revelations in the committee’s report and had denied the existence of a power group.
BJP chief and Union Health Minister J P Nadda, on the other hand, questioned the delay in release of the panel’s report and the alleged lack of implementation of its recommendation, by asking the state government “what is stopping you? What is haunting you?” Nadda alleged that CPI(M) leaders were mentioned in the panel report and in order to hide their involvement, the Left government delayed publication of the report.
“It is because they are part and parcel of it (adverse findings in the report). They want to hide something because their people are involved.
“I am sorry to say that the Hema Committee report has specifically said that CPI(M) leaders are involved. The Chief Minister should come out in black and white. He should say what actually happened,” the Union Minister said while speaking at a public meeting with industrialists and civic leaders of the district.
The Justice K Hema Committee was constituted by the Kerala government after the 2017 actress assault case, and its report revealed instances of harassment and exploitation of women in the Malayalam cinema industry.
Meanwhile, actor Jayasurya, accused in two cases of sexual harassment in the wake of the release of the report, broke his silence and refuted the allegations against him.
He said that the accusations have “shattered” him, his family and everyone close to them.
The actor, who has been in the US with his family for the past one month, said he will face the allegations legally and his lawyers will take care of the proceedings in the cases against him till he returns.
In a note put up on his Facebook page to thank all those who wished him on his birthday on August 31, Jayasurya said, “False allegations are easy to make for anyone who lacks a conscience. I only hope one realises that facing a false accusation of harassment is just as painful as the harassment itself.
“A lie always travels faster than the truth, but I believe truth will prevail.” The first FIR against the actor was registered on August 28 under section 354 (assault or criminal force on woman with intent to outrage her modesty) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) at Cantonment police station here on a complaint by a female actor who has appeared in a handful of movies.
The second case was lodged at Karamana police station here under sections 354 and 354 C (voyeurism) of the IPC on a complaint by another female actor who had alleged that Jayasurya molested her at a movie set near Thodupuzha during 2012-2013.
Jayasurya said that he has complete faith in the judicial system and sarcastically thanked “those who contributed to making this birthday the most painful one”.
“Let those who have not sinned throw stones, but only at those who have sinned,” he added. PTI HMP HMP SS
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