The Justice K Hema Committee report, released on August 19, highlights severe issues in the Malayalam film industry. It describes the industry as being controlled by a ‘mafia’ of top actors, directors and producers, making it difficult for women actors who face significant challenges at work. The 235-page report claims that anyone who files complaints is marginalised and suffers as a result.
The panel was formed by the Kerala government after the 2017 assault case involving actor Dileep to address sexual harassment and gender inequality. Bollywood actress Tanushree Dutta has now criticised the report, calling it ‘useless’. Tanushree Dutta, a prominent figure in India’s #MeToo movement, made headlines in 2018 when she accused actor Nana Patekar of sexual misconduct on the set of .
In an interview with , she criticised the Hema Committee’s findings and expressed frustration over the long delay. The fame actress questioned the value of the report, remarking, “These committees and reports, I don’t understand them. I think they’re useless.
It took them seven years to make a report on what happened in 2017?” Tanushree Dutta references the Vishakha Committee (formerly known as the Women’s Grievances Committee), which was established to address and prevent sexual harassment in the workplace. She questions the purpose of the new report, suggesting that it should have been sufficient to arrest the accused and enforce effective legal measures. She recalls that the .