- Wednesday, March 12, 2025
The actor addressed the media for the first time after the Justice Hema Committee report was made public
By: Shajil Kumar
MALAYALAM actor Mohanlal on Saturday said he was not part of any power group in the Malayalam film industry and is not aware of the existence of any such group in the sector.
Addressing the media for the first time in Thiruvananthapuram after the Justice Hema Committee report was made public, he said Malayalam cinema is a huge industry where thousands of people work and AMMA (Association of Malayalam Movie Artists) could not address issues that cropped up there.
He said the executive panel of the Association headed by him resigned recently in the wake of allegations being raised against it after the release of the report.
“Wrongdoers should be punished if there is evidence against them,” the “Kireedam” actor said while referring to the allegations of sexual misconduct and assaults that surfaced against some of the members of the Association.
“I am not part of any power group in Malayalam cinema and not aware of the existence of any such group,” the actor said.
He also said the release of Hema Committee report was a good decision of the government.
The 290-page report had alleged that the Malayalam film industry is under the control of a “criminal gang” and has a “power nexus” consisting of a handful of producers, directors, actors and production controllers.
The Justice Hema Committee was established in 2019 following the high-profile 2017 actress assault case involving actor Dileep.
The report by a three-member panel highlights the widespread nature of sexual harassment in the Malayalam film industry, with several women revealing that they were subjected to unwanted advances, intimidation, and threats while working on film sets.
Since its release, a number of women – some of whom have now given up acting – have publicly spoken about facing sexual assault and harassment in the industry.
More than a dozen police complaints have been filed against some male stars, and some of them have also filed counter-complaints. (Agencies)
