There couldn't be a better time to speak about the National Award-winning Malayalam movie Aattam, which released in 2023. The film speaks about sexual assault and has become very topical ever since the Hema Committee report came out. With the report revealing rampant sexual misconduct in the Malayalam film industry and with fingers pointing at senior AMMA members, the executive committee, including president and veteran actor Mohanlal, had resigned from their posts on 27 August.
The Quint spoke to one of the lead actors of Aattam, Zarin Shihab, about the relevance of the film in light of the Hema Committee report, a direct change that she has observed ever since the report was made public, how the law needs to change when it comes to cases of crimes against women and more.
When asked whether the Hema Committee report is a first step towards ensuring a safe space for women Zarin replied, "Ever since the report came out I have heard people say, 'We are so scared to hire women.' That's so funny. If you haven't done anything wrong, what are you scared of? It's only those people who know they have done something wrong who are criticising the report."
She added,
"For the first time, I am seeing fear. The fear is of being held accountable. I have already received calls from production houses saying that they have drafted agreements without me having to ask for them. This didn't happen till a few years back. So that's a big step."
Zarin also said that she hopes the report doesn't discourage aspiring actors and artistes. "Since everything is out in the open, aspiring actors know what they are getting into, but I hope these allegations won't push them away. Malayalam cinema has always been progressive, but I haven't seen that reflected in society."
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