Members of the Women in Cinema Collective. The only demand is a working space with dignity for women, says Sajitha Madathil (second from right). (Express Photo)
OVER THREE years ago, a Malayalam film crew left behind a woman make-up artist in London after she rejected a request for sexual favours from an influential player behind the movie. The leading actor finally stepped in, liaising with Indian officials, to help her return.
Some of the stories that have made it to screens in Malayalam cinema have been feted in film festivals the world over. But then, there have also been stories that never got told — of sexual exploitation and harassment of women — because there was no one to listen.
That’s changing. On November 1, 2016, a group of leading actors from Kerala registered a society, Women in Cinema Collective, possibly the first such organisation in the Indian film industry.
“We are 17 members now, each member has been tasked with proposing five more members. The total number will soon cross 30. The additions are through existing members to ensure that they agree with the idea of WCC, its conduct and purpose… Our only demand is working space with dignity for women,” says Sajitha Madathil, a leading actor and one of the prime movers behind the collective.
The WCC came together after Malayalam cinema woke up last February to one of its darkest chapters with police accusing popular actor Dileep in the abduction and rape of a young actor in Kochi.
Actor Rima Kallingal set the ball rolling in a discussion with her senior colleague Geethu Mohandas, days after the attack on their “close friend”. Soon, other women, including veteran Revathi, actors Manju Warrier and Ramya Nambeesan, editor Beena Paul and director Anjali Menon, joined hands. Multiple meetings were held to finalise the idea, mostly at Mamangam, a dance school owned by Kallingal in Kochi.
“It was the attack on our colleague that first made us think about WCC. Last May, we met Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and sought his help. He promised help through the Justice Hema Commission. Now we are floating a legal cell. We haven’t started dealing with complaints yet but are guiding people to lawyers,” says Madathil.
Last June, the Kerala government set up a first-of-its kind commission, headed by retired High Court judge K Hema, to study the problems faced by women in the Malayalam film industry.
“None of us is political, there is no politics. Since the beginning, we have been telling everyone that we are not an organisation formed to threaten anyone. We are here to talk about greater representation for women. This is not only about sexual harassment but also about work environment,” says Paul, the movie editor.
The meetings at Mamangam led to a WhatsApp group, and the name — Women in Cinema Collective. “This is where the revolution mostly took shape,” says a leading woman actor and member of WCC, requesting anonymity.
“The WhatsApp group is a great medium for communication because, unlike trade unions or other collectives, the celebrity status of our members prevents them from meeting publicly wherever they want,” says the actor.
“It was a very meaningful process. The younger minds and the elders spoke a lot, balancing and fine-tuning views. Members like Vidhu Vincent, with a background in journalism, tried to give us insights into the law and rules that exist on women’s issues. Others, like Revathi, played a role in shaping us. There were also people like Manju who would mostly be silent but make her stand clear in a few words when the time came. We need people with composure and patience to look at various issues and help form a collective opinion,” she says.
In October, sexual harassment of women in cinema hit the global headlines with allegations emerging against Hollywood movie boss Harvey Weinstein, sparking the #MeToo campaign, with women and men using social media to talk about their experiences. In Kerala, that was also the month in which Dileep obtained bail and emerged from jail in Aluva, near Kochi, to a rapturous welcome from his fans.
Forged in the fire sparked by that case, the WCC has faced challenges at every step. From the serious to the bizarre — for instance, its founders are currently battling a cyber campaign against their Facebook page that downgraded its rating from five stars to one.
On allegations that such campaigns were fuelled by fans of male “super stars”, Madathil says, “The WCC will be judged for our work, not for the stars on our Facebook page. We do not have any complaints against any individuals. We try to ignore such campaigns but sometimes, we are forced to reply.”
Among the more serious issues that have reached the collective’s doorsteps are instances of projects being called off or promised work being delayed or denied for the actor’s links with the WCC. “There are women who tell us that they are afraid to join, fearing loss of work. We tell them to stay back as it is not necessary for everyone to come onboard and reveal their identity. We are not against anyone in the industry. There are issues and we have to face them. That doesn’t mean that we have lost our work. We are all working, a few people cannot stop us in such a big industry,” says Madathil.
Other issues that the WCC is aware of include: Lack of urinals for women at movie sets, physical abuse, veterans seeking sexual favours, harassment through phone calls and messages, and in one case, the ouster of an actor for refusing to meet the producer during her make-up session. The collective has also reached out to women make-up artists and hairdressers who have undergone “severe harassment”, necessitating psychiatric treatment in some cases.
Today, the WCC has caught the attention of movie professionals across the country. Says Khushboo Sundar, the popular Tamil actor who is now a politician: “I appreciate this idea wholeheartedly. This is the coming together of all strong thinking women.