The Malayalam film industry is witnessing the making of a high-voltage drama; one that has sex, drugs, conspiracy, politics and, above all, a huge dose of sexism.
It all started with the abduction of a famous actor on the night of February 17, while she was on her way to Kochi from Thrissur. The abductors waylaid the car she was travelling in, molested her and took obscene pictures as they drove around Kochi for two hours. She was dropped off in the suburbs with her driver, who, it later turned out, was part of a conspiracy to blackmail the actor.
Contrary to what the abductors had expected her to do, the gutsy actor went ahead and lodged a complaint with the police. As news of the incident broke, there was widespread public outrage, and support for the actor poured in.
The police swung into action, arresting two suspects the following day. But the prime accused, Sunil Kumar and Vijeesh, had vanished. Four days later, the police arrested them from a courtroom in dramatic fashion. Dressed as lawyers, the duo had entered the courtroom in an effort to surrender and get bail. As they resisted the arrest, the police had to drag them away from the room. The scenes were broadcast live on news channels.
By then, conspiracy theories were floating around. The allegation that a popular actor-producer, who wields considerable influence in the industry, was behind the incident gained much traction. It was said that he had a personal score to settle with the victim, as she had stood by his estranged wife during their messy divorce. Though the actor-producer issued a statement denying all allegations, it failed to stop the rumour mill.
Amid the din of conspiracy theories, the silence of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) was deafening. Known for its clout both inside and outside the film industry, AMMA has always been perceived as patriarchal in its outlook. The top office-bearers of the association are all men, and only two of its 17 executive committee members are women.
Even as support for the victim was pouring in, AMMA kept a stony silence. It was apparently forced to come out in support after one of its woman members, a leading actor, threatened to sit on a hunger strike. But, even as it organised a public function in Kochi to voice solidarity with the victim, it passed a resolution advising woman members not to travel alone.
“What is wrong in asking female actors not to travel alone? By passing the resolution, we just wanted them to be safe,” AMMA secretary Edavela Babu told THE WEEK. He also poured scorn on the actors who had protested against the patriarchal line adopted by the association. “We, at AMMA, do not believe in sloganeering and Facebook protests,” he said. “We won’t sit idle when the names of lead actors are unnecessarily drawn into controversies.” Babu, however, refused say whether AMMA had acted upon a complaint the victim had lodged against the actor-producer sometime ago saying he was impeding her career.
Sunil Kumar, the prime accused in the case | E.V. Sreekumar
The fact that AMMA is led by actors who have strong political affiliations makes matters complex. Its president, Innocent, is an independent Lok Sabha member who supports the CPI(M), which leads the ruling coalition in the state. Two of its office-bearers are MLAs who support that coalition, while another member, Suresh Gopi, is a Rajya Sabha member nominated by the BJP.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan earned brickbats when he said that the police would not go after “imaginary” accused persons in the kidnapping. This prompted critics to allege that the chief minister was trying to shield the big fish.
The CPI(M), however, denies the charge. “The media is misinterpreting the CM’s words,” Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, CPI(M) state secretary, told THE WEEK. “He has made it very clear that not a single culprit will go scot-free.”
As the opposition, the Congress and the BJP are making the most of the issue by accusing the government of trying to scuttle the investigation. The BJP, apparently, is trying to take the case to the CBI. “The prime minister and the BJP chief are being updated on a daily basis on the case,” said an actor close to the BJP. “And the PM has assured that the CBI will take up the case if the state government mishandles it.”
The controversy has also exposed the industry’s alleged links with criminal gangs. Some senior actors and producers have accused a section of their younger colleagues of being addicted to drugs. The younger actors and directors have denied the charge, saying the controversy has exposed the generational clash in the industry. “It is pure jealousy. The older generation realises that their age and style of filmmaking is over,” said a young director-producer, who did not wish to be identified because of AMMA’s gag order on talking to the media.
The cloud of controversy, however, has a silver lining. It has helped the industry introspect on the misogynist attitude in its way of functioning and the films it churns out. Prithviraj Sukumaran, one of the leading stars in the industry, publicly apologised for having mouthed misogynistic dialogues in his movies. In a Facebook post addressed to the victim and women in general, he said, “I have been part of films that celebrated misogyny. I have mouthed lines that vilified the regard for your self-respect and I have taken a bow to the claps that ensued. Never again! Never again will I let disrespect for women be celebrated in my movies.”
Most heartening has been the response of the victim herself. After showing the courage to go public with her complaint, she surprised many people a few days later by reporting for shooting. “She sent out a strong message to the misogynists out there by going for shooting within a few days,” said award-winning writer and actor Sajitha Madathil. “She has proved that the dignity of a woman is not tied to her body. It has jolted the entire film industry, which is trained to see women only as bodies.”
