Kochi: In response to mounting sexual harassment allegations and rape charges within Kerala's film industry, the Women in Cinema Collective (WCC) has announced a comprehensive Zero Tolerance Policy on Sunday. This move comes as part of their ongoing efforts to address and eradicate unfair practices against women in the industry.

In a social media post, WCC revealed their plans to introduce a Cinema Code of Conduct (CCC), aimed at establishing clear guidelines for industry behaviour. The post outlines the WCC's strategy for addressing the issues highlighted by recent reports and allegations, including those detailed in the Justice Hema Committee report.

The policy addresses several key areas:

  • NO sexual harassment as defined by PoSH Act 2013.
  • NO gender-based discrimination, bias, abuse or harassment. 
  • NO class, caste, religion, ethnicity based discrimination, bias, abuse or harassment.
  • NO working under the influence of any intoxicant. 
  • NO illegal commission charged by agents or production crew. 
  • NO intimidation, verbal abuse, coercion, violence, unspoken ban or forced work disruptions against any law-abiding cine worker by any person or entity.

Additionally, the WCC has established an official redressal forum where violations can be reported and addressed.

The announcement came in the back of a series of developments in the film industry following the release of the Hema Committee Report, leading to the mass resignation of Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) office bearers on August 27.

The WCC also criticised those who have dismissed the issues raised by the Hema Committee and survivors, branding such denials as insulting to the public, media, and affected individuals. They emphasised that the collective findings from various reports and personal testimonies from both women and men confirm the gravity of the situation.

By implementing these measures, the WCC aims to foster a safer and more equitable working environment in Kerala’s film industry.