It was one of the darkest moments in the history of Malayalam cinema. A well-known actor was abducted in Kochi and was molested for nearly two hours inside a vehicle, much to the shock of the entire state. The incident gained national attention as it once again exposed the appalling state of affairs around women safety.
Now, the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA), has claimed that it has got assurance from Prime Minister Narendra Modi that the Centre will step in if the Kerala police mismanages the case or is unable to solve it.
“PM has assured all support in case the state police is unable to solve the case,” said AMMA secretary Edavela Babu.
Meanwhile, the unfortunate incident, it seems, is becoming a turning point in Mollywood, which is deeply patriarchal and misogynist – like every other film industry in the world.
While the actor, who dared to report the incident despite the threat of assault visuals being leaked, has got back to shooting, the incident has also forced many from the film world, especially young actors, to introspect the inherent misogyny in their films. Leading the way is actor Prithviraj – one of the top-notch actor in Malayalam filmdom – who has publicly apologised for mouthing misogynistic dialogues in his movies.
He took to Facebook on Saturday morning to promise that never again will he allow women to be disrespected in his films. “I have been part of films that celebrated misogyny... I have mouthed lines that vilified regard for your self respect and I have taken a bow to the claps that ensued,” Prithviraj wrote. “NEVER AGAIN... never again will I let disrespect for women be celebrated in my movies! Yes... I'm an actor and this is my craft! I will whole-heartedly trudge the grey and black with characters that possess unhinged moral compasses... but I will never let these men be glorified or their actions justified on screen (sic),” he added.
Paying tribute to the molested actor in the Facebook post titled ‘Courage’, he said, "I once again bear witness to an extraordinary moment of courage from an extraordinary woman in my life! Today... she makes a statement... a statement that will echo through time, space and gender... that no one or no incident has control over your life but YOU!”
The progressive move taken by Prithviraj stands out in the Malyalam film industry that took its own sweet time to take a firm stand on the attack.
AMMA, despite its vocal support to the survivor, had passed a resolution asking the actors not to travel alone at night – effectively, putting the blame squarely on women.
Prithviraj's strong post comes amidst this warning from AMMA. The saner voices in the Malayalam film world has welcomed the actor's stand. “I am so happy that a young leading actor like Prithvi (Prithviraj) has taken such a position. It gives hope about the future of Malayalam cinema,” state-award winning actor Sajitha Madathil, who had dared to openly criticize this patriarchal attitude of AMMA, told THE WEEK.
According to her, older generations in the industry is so steeped in patriarchy that one cannot expect anything from them. “When an organisation like AMMA, who is the last refuge of all actors, takes regressive position, it sends out a wrong message,” she said.
Babu, however, has no qualms on such steps. “AMMA does not believe in FB posts or sloganeering. We do things in our own way,” he said.
When asked whether one can expect progressive steps like that of Prithviraj, he said, “AMMA does not differentiate between actors.”
He maintained silence when asked about the complaint the actor had made to AMMA against a leading actor who was allegedly blocking her films due to his personal animosity with her.
Meanwhile, the abductors, who were nabbed by police dramatically from the court where they had come to surrender, is being interrogated by the state police. As details of the criminal background of the accused surfaced, questions are being raised regarding the underworld connections of the Malayalam film industry.
