Kanika Dhillon, a prominent writer known for her bold and nuanced portrayal of female characters in films like “Phir Aayi Hasseen Dillruba” and “Manmarziyaan,” recently shared her thoughts on the Justice Hema Committee report and its potential ramifications for women in the entertainment industry.

The release of the Justice Hema Committee report, which addresses the pervasive issues faced by women in Malayalam cinema, has reverberated across various film industries. The report has not only highlighted the systemic challenges and abuses but has also emboldened numerous survivors to come forward and voice their experiences of harassment, misconduct, and assault by male colleagues. The report’s findings have generated significant concern, prompting Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to announce the state government’s initiative to draft a comprehensive cinema law aimed at safeguarding women on film sets. This move has ignited discussions and calls for similar protective measures in Bollywood and other regional film industries.

In an exclusive conversation with News18 Showsha, Kanika Dhillon remarked on the significance of the report. “Whenever focus is drawn to the malpractices and prejudices against women in any industry, it definitely makes people across industries take note and retrospect,” she stated. Dhillon praised the Hema Committee for shedding light on the injustices faced by women in cinema, emphasizing that such scrutiny is crucial for initiating change. “Kudos to the Hema Committee report for putting the spotlight on the plight and malpractices that women have been subjected to! Only when the focus and the spotlight are directed to these issues, will the change begin to improve the work environment and professional spaces for women across industries,” she added.

Adding to this discourse, Malayalam actor Parvathy Thiruvothu voiced her concerns about the delayed justice associated with the report during an interview with indianexpress.com. She expressed frustration over the prolonged wait for actionable outcomes. “But if you ask me personally, I felt we were put through a long waiting game. We expected quicker action. If justice delayed is justice denied, then justice has been delayed here for so long, and the report only came out after a lot of pushing. We were initially told that the process would be confidential, and we trusted the process as it is a government process. But then, it is like a doctor seeing a patient, writing a prescription and refusing to give it to the patient saying he will keep it. Hey, I need the prescription, I need to buy the medicine,” she articulated.

The urgency of addressing these issues was underscored by recent legal actions against prominent figures in Kerala’s film industry. Actor Siddique and director Ranjith have been booked for crimes against women, while actor-politician M Mukesh faces a rape case based on an actor’s complaint. Additionally, other notable personalities such as actors Jayasurya, Edavela Babu, Maniyanpillai Raju, film production controller Noble, and pro-Congress lawyers association leader V S Chandrasekharan have been accused of sexual abuse.

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