5 Indian Filmmakers on the Hema Committee Report and its Impact

The Hema Committee, named after Justice K. Hema, was formed in 2019 to investigate the challenges faced by women in the Malayalam film industry, particularly focusing on gender discrimination and sexual harassment. The report revealed a widespread culture of exploitation, where women frequently experienced harassment, unequal treatment in a male-dominated space, normalisation of sexual violence, and the absence of robust support systems to protect women, both on and off set.

Despite its submission five years ago, the Kerala government only made the report public on August 19, 2024, and even then, significant portions have been redacted.

The Hollywood Reporter India asked some of the most influential directors from across the country what reforms they wish to see not just in the Malayalam film industry, but in Indian cinema at large.

The conversation has been edited for clarity.

Mahesh Narayanan: After this incident, what has actually happened is that a lot of female personnel working across several streams — be it actors, be it assistant directors (ADs) — have shown the guts to come out and speak up against things. I always feel that when you give a person a mask, the person will speak the truth. Anonymity is very important. That's why this commission is so important.

I really think people in Malayalam cinema should come together in solidarity and say that this needs to be done. It's not about all the associations blaming each other.

I think some culmination has to be there, like in our films, we write a climax. There should be something — whether it's a happy ending or a sad ending, that doesn't matter. But there should be a resolution. 

Zoya Akhtar: I think this is not just about the Malayalam film industry; I think it's every industry and every workspace for women in this country. 

It should open a larger conversation — yes, you want laws to be stringent, and justice to be swift. But I think what we really need is to open a conversation as to what is wrong with certain men? Why is this pervasive? Why do people feel this entitlement and where is that coming from? Where are you getting this entitlement that women owe you something? I think that conversation needs to happen. There needs to be a social change. That can only happen if we talk about mentality, about nurturing and about education.

Karan Johar: I completely endorse what Zoya said. Unfortunately, traditionally we are a patriarchal society, and there is this unfortunate male entitlement. And it's not just in the Malayalam film industry or in Hindi films or any other film industry; it's across all professions and verticals.

The first thing that needs to change is this sense of entitlement. What makes you feel you are superior? Who gave you that idea? It actually really strangely goes down to your upbringing. Because I have twins, a boy and a girl, I have to start teaching them these things from the very beginning because I've heard this in so many homes across the world. It's not just in India, let me tell you, it's everywhere. Male entitlement is a disease and it's spreading and you have to curtail it with conversation and by constantly addressing it.

I think the #MeToo movement that started even in Hindi cinema, eventually, got derailed. Maybe because there weren't any legal ramifications and repercussions, and as a result of that, it just fell apart. I think with what's happening in the Malayalam film industry, this entire conversation has surfaced again. I think it's for the best because it will bring about accountability.

Like Zoya said, it starts with education, it starts with nurturing, it starts with a conversation. This cycle has to stop eventually.

Vetrimaaran: It is not just in the film industry, of course, but as a part of this industry, we need to address it.

When a girl comes out to say "this happened to me", immediately the victim starts being portrayed as the perpetrator. People begin asking questions like, "Why didn't you say anything?" or, "Why are you speaking up after eight years?" This is such a bad way of looking at things. When someone comes out and says, "A guy did this to me," we, as a society, should take the side of the person who's making that accusation and not just say, "Okay, this guy is an established person. So far, he's been a good guy to the world, so we stand by him and defend him."

That's not the right way to do things. As a society, and as a world, we need to stand by the woman who comes forward.

Another very upsetting thing is when people say, "How could it happen if she hadn't consented?" What is consent? We need to teach people what consent is. When there is no equality, when one person is in a position where they can change the life of a girl, where is [the] equality? Where is consent considered in that situation? These things need to change.

Pa. Ranjith: I look at what’s happening in the Kerala film industry right now as a major movement. I want this to spread to other industries. There should be voices raised against all forms of discrimination. Because today, one must wonder if this is limited just to the movie industry. That’s a big question mark.

This is not about big or small workspaces. This is happening in all workspaces and on a daily basis. If a woman from the working class were to raise a question, no one would be willing to listen to her or address her concerns. They don’t care about the people from the lower stratas. But when such voices come from the film industry, it is because of the popularity of the medium that they get heard.

But we need to care about all such voices from all levels. One can think about false allegations in the next stage, but now, we need to first accept that this discrimination has been a common practice for long. We have to admit this first and move towards getting educated about this. That’s what will get us closer to a solution.

Karan Johar: To sum it up, it's really the way you're raising the men in this country or any part of the world that has to change. We just have to change the way we raise our boys and sons. It has to happen. It starts at that level. 

Vetrimaaran: I think it is changing a bit. My daughter and son, the way they look at things — even if you just say one small thing, they're like, "That's a sexist comment".

Karan Johar: I think this generation after the Gen Zs is beyond woke. It's quite amazing the kind of things that come out of my seven-year-old children. They look at me, and their politics are so correct and spot on. And I'm proud of that.

Zoya Akhtar: But also, it's very important, as all of us are in the industry, to enable work. People are scared that if they speak up, they will lose work. What we can do is hire them, enable work, and make sure people feel like, "You know what, this is not going to be a deterrent." I can speak up, and other people won't stop working with me. I think it's key to do that because, at the end of the day, that's where it hurts, right? You start ostracising someone from the industry, and they don't have work. It's a very big deterrent.

THR Cover Credits:
Styled by Isha Bhansali

On Vetrimaaran: Suit and shirt by @saggarmehra

On Pa. Ranjith: Corduroy co-ord set from @nm_design_studio, shirt from @selectindia

On Mahesh Narayanan: Blazer from @selectindia