Shabana Azmi
Mumbai ‘You must understand that women in India have had their own journey for centuries. From the 16th to the 21st century they progressed, but they were also suppressed. Women have been a paradox of progress and oppression in India, just as India itself has been. Veteran Bollywood actress Shabana Azmi said these things while talking to the media at the International Indian Film Academy Awards (IIFA). Referring to the Justice Hema Committee report which exposed sexual harassment of female artistes in Malayalam cinema, Shabana spoke openly on the status of women in the society. The Justice Hema Committee was formed by the Kerala government after a petition was filed by the Women in Cinema Collective in response to an attack on an actress in 2017. The committee had documented the challenges faced by women working in Malayalam cinema. The committee was headed by retired Kerala High Court judge Justice K Hema. It also included veteran actress Sharda and retired Indian Administrative Service officer KB Valsala Kumari as members.
The Justice Hema Committee report has taken the Malayalam film industry by storm as well as various film industries in India, leading to calls for action to investigate the harassment and exploitation of female artistes. After the Hema Committee report, many women came forward and made allegations of sexual harassment against well-known personalities of Malayalam cinema. Many celebrities in Bollywood including Ananya Panday, Swara Bhaskar, Guneet Monga, Ekta Kapoor, Tanushree Dutta, Lakshmi Manchu, Prithviraj Sukumaran, Tovino Thomas and Parvathy Thiruvothu have reacted to this report. Now Shabana has also joined this list.
Second such protest after Me-2
Let us tell you that even after the ‘Me-2’ movement, Bollywood actresses had spoken in support of women. During this campaign, many actresses came forward and openly told about the malpractices that happened to them. Now the Justice Hema Committee report has also sparked a similar debate. Women from the film world are also openly supporting this matter.
Latest Bollywood News