Hema Committee Report: The findings of the Justice K. Hema Committee Report have once again highlighted the sexual harassment and abuse women face in showbiz. Several celebrities have shared their views on the report. Bollywood actress Swara Bhasker recently reflected on the findings, noting that while the report primarily addressed issues within the Malayalam film industry due to a high-profile case, similar problems are likely present in other regions as well.
Swara Bhasker on Hema Committee Report
She expressed deep appreciation for the Women In Cinema Collective (WCC) and their relentless advocacy against sexual harassment and violence in the film industry. She commended their bravery in demanding a thorough examination of working conditions for women and their support for victims. " You are heroes and you are doing the work that people in positions of greater power ought to have done already. Respect and solidarity with you," she wrote.
"It has been heartbreaking to read the findings of the committee. More heartbreaking because it is familiar. Maybe not every detail and not every nitty gritty but the larger picture of what the women have testified to is all too familiar. Showbiz is and always has been a male-centric industry, a patriarchal power set-up. It's also deeply perception-sensitive and risk-averse. Every day of production – shoot days but also pre and post-production days – are days when the meter is running and money is being spent. No one likes a disruption. Even if the disruptor has raised her voice for what is ethically correct. It's so much more convenient and financially practical to just carry on," added Swara
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The Raanjhanaa actress continued: “Showbiz is not just patriarchal, it’s also feudal in character. Successful actors, directors and producers are elevated to the status of demi-gods and anything they do goes. If they do something unsavoury, the norm for everyone around is to look away. If someone makes too much noise and doesn’t let an issue drop, label them ‘trouble-makers’ and let them bear the brunt of their overenthusiastic conscience. Silence is the convention. Silence is appreciated. Silence is practical and silence is rewarded.”
She further pointed out that such environments normalise harassment and create a predatory atmosphere. The responsibility for these issues lies with those in power who create and sustain these conditions, not with those who are forced to navigate them for employment, she said.
Swara concluded by writing, "Are other language industries in India even talking about such things? Until we don't face the uncomfortable truths we all know exist all around us, the brunt of existing abuses of power will continue to be borne by those who are vulnerable."