The Kerala High Court has strongly reprimanded the state government for its inaction on the Hema Committee report, which exposed widespread sexual misconduct in the Malayalam film industry. The court expressed disappointment over the government's failure to act on the report's findings, which had been available since 2019. A special division bench, comprising Justice AK Jayasankaran Nambiar and Justice CS Sudha, directed the Special Investigation Team (SIT) to submit a detailed report on the actions taken so far.
The Hema Committee, formed in 2017, was tasked with investigating sexual harassment in the film industry, but the court noted that no significant steps had been taken to address the issue. "You have done nothing in 4 years except sit on the report," the court remarked, emphasizing the state’s failure to register any FIRs based on the committee's findings.
The report, made public on August 19, has led to a flood of new allegations of sexual abuse against prominent figures in the Malayalam film industry. As a result, the entire 17-member executive committee of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes (AMMA) was dissolved. Notable industry figures, including director Ranjith and actors Siddique, Mukesh, Jayasurya, Edavela Babu, and Maniyanpilla Raju, have been accused of sexual misconduct.
Despite the formation of a seven-member SIT by the Pinarayi Vijayan-led government, the state has faced criticism for its lack of concrete action against the accused.
