Actor Sonia Malhar has recently opened up about troubling experiences she faced early in her career, following the release of the Hema Committee report on sexual harassment in the Malayalam film industry. The report has sparked a wave of accusations, including those from several women within the industry.
In a candid interview with ANI, Sonia Malhar recounted her unsettling experiences from when she first entered the industry in 2013. She described a particularly distressing incident on a film set in Thodupuzha. “I was treated with unexpected respect due to my background in social work, which was unusual,” Malhar said. “However, this respect did not prevent me from facing an alarming situation. While at the set, I was directed to an old building for makeup and costume changes. After using the restroom, I was unexpectedly accosted by someone, which left me shaken.”
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Malhar continued to share her difficulties, noting that her struggles didn’t end with that incident. She faced frequent payment delays and was even replaced in projects after they had been announced publicly. “The role I was promised was given to someone else,” she added.
Her decision to speak out was influenced by learning that other actresses from different states had faced similar issues. Malhar expressed disappointment over the lack of empathy and accountability from industry leaders. “It’s disheartening that respect is so easily denied, especially when the industry leaders should be setting a better example,” she remarked.
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The fallout from the Hema Committee report has been significant. On August 27, actor Mohanlal resigned as president of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) amid mounting pressure. The report had implicated several executive members in sexual harassment claims, prompting calls for their resignation. Mohanlal and the executive committee members submitted their resignations, which were communicated to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
In the wake of these revelations, demands for further accountability have intensified. The day before Mohanlal’s resignation, actor Minu Muneer publicly accused prominent figures such as M Mukesh, Jayasurya, Maniyanpilla Raju, and Idavela Babu of both verbal and physical abuse. These allegations have added fuel to the ongoing debate about the culture of misconduct within the Malayalam film industry.
The industry now faces a critical moment of reckoning as it grapples with these serious allegations and the call for meaningful change.