The Justice Hema Committee report has brought the spotlight on the extreme discrimination and sexual exploitation that women face while working in the Malayalam cinema. Now, actor Lakshmi Manchu has reacted to it, saying it is a nasty world for women, and hopes all the conversation will pave the way for change and rectify things.

On the report

Lakshmi didn’t know the complete details about the Hema Committee report, but that didn’t stop her from reacting strongly to the developments around it, and asking for equality for women. And the first step is by speaking out against the unfair.

“Let me tell you something, life is not fair to women, not just in the film industry… How do we change that? Stand up for yourself. I've been pushed over, but I stood my ground. I might lose a few (things), but I know I'm gaining for the person who's coming after me,” Lakshmi tells us, adding, “I'm standing for thousands of women who have been burned because they had a voice. If they said, I will not say anything, I wouldn't be here today."

The actor, who recently made her Malayalam debut with Mohanlal with Monster, feels “all of us have a voice and each and every voice matters”.

“The whole MeToo movement happened with one woman deciding that she has had enough… The one voice resounded with millions and gave voice and sound to millions and they were able to come out and speak for themselves. That is the power of standing up,” shares the daughter of Telugu cinema’s veteran actor Mohan Babu.

On her experience in Malayalam industry

When it comes to her own experience of working in the Malayalam industry, things were different. That was because of her lineage.

“It was different for me because I was working with my dad's good friend. They have huge respect for my old man in Malayalam and in all languages,” says the mother of one.

But she doesn’t deny the presence of sexual advances in the industry, as Lakshmi notes, “There will be people hitting on you thinking that you won't go talk about it. You have to learn artistic ways of saying no”.

She herself has faced untoward advances. Looking back, the actor shares, “Initially, when people used to hit on me, I would be very nasty to them, then I would lose the entire work opportunity or that job. So, how do you manoeuvre it?’

“Now, I'm like, ‘Oh my God, I'm so touched and honoured that you really find me attractive. But I'm a married woman and I'm very committed’. If it goes more than that, then you can't be pushed over”, adds the actor.

Lakshmi, known for featuring in projects such as the Basmati Blues (2017) and Kaatrin Mozhi (2018), stresses, “It's a nasty world out there”.

“That happens because we are not properly sex educated. We don't know how to handle our hormones. So we only project. Men need to learn how to keep it in their pants,” she emphasises.

On the Kolkata rape and murder case

The actor, who has also starred in Telugu as well as English films, also expressed her disgust on the Kolkata rape-murder case.

“What happened in Kolkata was really shocking…Where is the law right now with this?” she questions.

Here, Lakshmi condemns the incident, and wonders “what is it about that she shouldn't have been there and she shouldn't have done that”.

“My blood boils. What about raping a three-year-old baby? It's crazy and horrifying to read about such cases. Most of my friends in the US are afraid to come to India because they fear that they will get raped. The narrative about India to the world is disgusting when it comes to safety for women,” she asserts, asking for stricter punishment for the culprit.

She notes, “My daughter knew what good touch and bad touch is before she could even speak sentences. It's not about raising a good daughter, but raising a good son too.”

For the unversed, a post-graduate trainee doctor was found dead in the seminar hall of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata on August 9. The family has alleged that the victim was raped and murdered. In a strong display of support, doctors and celebrities across the nation continue to protest, demanding justice for the victim.

About the Hema Committee report

The Hema Committee report, focused on the Malayalam film industry, has stirred conversations around the workplace ethics in the entertainment world. The report was commissioned to investigate and address the rampant issues of sexual harassment in the Malayalam film industry, and was released on Monday.

The much-awaited report puts the spotlight on the issues faced by women in the Malayalam film industry and comes with shocking accounts of harassment, exploitation, and ill-treatment being faced by women.

The report stated that female actors faced harassment, including instances where the doors of their rooms were knocked on by intoxicated individuals in the film industry. In fact, many of the women expressed reluctance to complain due to fear. It also reported a lack of basic amenities such as toilets for women, adding that junior artists are treated ‘worse than slaves in Malayalam cinema’.

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