Telugu actor Nani recently opened up about his concerns regarding the alarming findings of the Justice Hema Committee report, which detailed widespread sexual harassment and appalling working conditions for women in the Malayalam film industry. Speaking in an interview with NDTV, Nani expressed his unease over the state of women’s safety in the country, stating that the continuous news of exploitation and abuse weighs heavily on his mind. “This has been bothering me since the Nirbhaya case,” Nani shared, referring to the 2012 Delhi gang rape and murder case that shocked the nation.
“It never stops. It continuously keeps disturbing us. I am actually scared to scroll through Twitter.
.. suddenly some visuals or news can pop up, and it can disturb me for the rest of the day.
” Nani's unease isn’t just tied to his status as an actor; it’s also deeply personal. He shared how his love for interacting with children has amplified his worries about the current environment. “I love kids, I meet kids and I interact with them a lot more.
I have spoken to a lot of five and seven-year-olds in this generation...
somehow this generation is extra smart...
I feel the better (future) is coming. I believe the situation will be better than it is today. They will be much better than us,” he said optimistically.
Lo Behold! The cat is out of the box! Hema Committee Report is out. 👏👏👏 #WCC members! ✨ Ya'll have made history! A major step towards women empowerment in workplace. @parvatweets @dhanyarajendran @rimakallingal Beena Paul 🙌🏻 Hats off!!! pic.
twitter.com/xtNrRxzs4A — Anisha (@Anisha_Annamala) August 19, 2024 The Justice Hema Committee report, released earlier this month, exposed shocking accounts of sexual harassment, exploitation, and mistreatment of women in the Malayalam film industry. The report, spanning 235 pages, was based on witness testimony and redacted the names of both victims and accused to protect their identities.
It describes the industry as being controlled by a small group of male producers, directors, and actors who dominate and dictate the working environment. Nani also pointed out how the situation for women has gotten progressively worse over the years. “I genuinely feel now when I hear all this news, especially about how women are treated or how anybody can say or do anything and they think they can get away with it, I think we are in the worst possible (situation).
.. comparatively, 20 years earlier, the situation was much better.
And 20 years before that it was better than that. I feel that we are at the worst (situation)..
.,” he said. The Justice Hema Committee report was originally submitted to the Kerala government in 2019, but it wasn’t made public until this month, sparking a fresh wave of outrage and calls for change within the Malayalam cinema industry.
The release of the report has prompted discussions about the urgent need for reforms in the industry to ensure the safety and dignity of women..
