‘Power Groups Exist In All Industries': MP Sumalatha On Women Facing Harassment

Several regional industries in the country are now asking for their respective Hema Committee after it brought to light the harassment faced by the actresses in Malayalam cinema. Former MP and actress Sumalatha has revealed how common such stories are, some even confiding in her about their own experiences. Let us take a look.

To extend her support to the victims, Sumalatha has appealed to the government to put forth a constitutional mechanism, which ensures the safety of women in the industry. In a conversation with a media house, the actress divulged how women came to her to share their experiences. She stated, “Power groups exist in all industries. Women’s safety should be ensured in cinema, and the central and state governments should take it seriously.”

Speaking further, she congratulated the WCC (Women in Cinema Collective) calling it a historic moment. According to her, it was an “open secret” in the industry but after the expose, many women bravely came forward with their personal experiences.

She stated, “Many of the sets where I worked during my career were like family. But I have heard very scary stories from the Malayalam film industry.” The veteran actress revealed that many women shared their own stories with her, how men wanted them to “cooperate” for work opportunities. Sumalatha added, “If they refused, they would be harassed by these men.” Earlier, women were afraid to speak up, and those who were brave enough to stand up for themselves in those situations were portrayed as negative. According to Sumalatha, “Now, things have changed for the better.”

Talking about herself, Sumalatha said that she has not experienced such incidents, accepting that these occur regularly on cinema sets. “I have heard stories about men knocking on the doors of hotel rooms where actresses were staying,” added the actress.

Sumalatha believes proper laws should be passed to deal with such situations, which also address the atrocities faced by women. Furthermore, it must ensure punishment for those involved.