Kerala HC set to review uncensored Hema Committee Report for the first time on Tuesday

Kochi: In a critical moment for the Malayalam film industry, the Kerala High Court will commence examining a key report on the Malayalam film industry on Tuesday. This comes after the release of the Justice Hema Committee report, which exposed poor working conditions and sexual exploitation of women in the industry.

The new special bench, formed by the Kerala High Court, will be led by acting Chief Justice A. Muhamad Mustaque, with Justices A.K. Jayasankaran Nambiar and C.S. Sudha. The bench will review the full, uncensored report for the first time.

The court is evaluating whether to file a criminal case based on the sexual harassment allegations detailed in the report. The Hema Committee report will be considered as a separate case by the court at 10:15 am.

The Justice Hema Committee was set up by the Kerala government in 2017, and its report was submitted in 2019. However, it was only released on August 19 after a lengthy legal battle. The report has led to several former actresses coming forward with allegations of sexual harassment against well-known figures in the industry. As a result, the Kerala Police have filed FIRs against 11 people, including 10 from the film world. Those named include actor-turned-legislator Mukesh Madhavan, Nivin Pauly, Siddique, Jayasurya, Edavela Babu, Maniyanpilla Raju, directors Ranjith and Prakash, and production staff Vichu and Noble.

Mukesh, Ranjith, and Raju have so far been granted relief from the court.

The revelations have sparked a political controversy, with the Congress party accusing the Pinarayi Vijayan government of shielding the accused. They claim that the release of the report was delayed and that the government redacted more information than required.

As the newly formed bench begins its review, the Malayalam film industry, already in turmoil, faces increased scrutiny. The Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes (AMMA) has seen its newly elected executive committee, led by President Mohanlal, step down due to the involvement of several members in the scandal. The next steps from the association and the court remain to be seen.

Agency