Nani says Hema Committee report is bothering him; he's ‘scared to scroll’ online: Situation was much better 20 year ago
Nani was asked to share his take on the alleged sexual harassment of women in the Malayalam film industry, when he reflected on the status of women in India.
Recently, Telugu actor Nani was in news for his response to Arshad Warsi's 'joker' comment about Prabhas over his film Kalki 2898 AD. Nani, who is gearing up for his upcoming film Saripodhaa Sanivaaram, has now in an interview with NDTV, expressed concern over the findings of the recently-released Hema Committee report that detailed the rampant sexual abuse and deplorable working conditions faced by women in the Malayalam film industry. Also read | Prithviraj Sukumaran ‘not shocked’ by Hema Committee report: ‘It is important to punish those who commit sexual abuse’
‘I am scared to scroll’
Reacting to the alleged sexual harassment and exploitation of women and girls in the Malayalam film industry, and the status of women in the country at large, Nani said that current situation continues to disturb him. He said, "This has been bothering me starting with the Nirbhaya case (2012 Delhi gang rape and murder case). It never stops and it continuously keeps disturbing us. Actually, I am scared to scroll (through) Twitter or something... in scrolling suddenly some visuals or news can come, which can disturb me for the rest of the day. So, we are in this social media boom, everyone is on social media, doing so many things. I think that anything that goes to a peak will start coming down."
He added, "I genuinely feel now when I hear all this news, especially about how women are treated or how anybody can say or do anything and they think they can get away with it, I think we are in the worst possible (situation)... comparatively, 20 years earlier, the situation was much better. And 20 years before that it was better than that. I feel that we are at the worst (situation)... because of my profession or, in general, because I love kids, I meet kids and I interact with them a lot more. I have spoken to a lot of five and seven-year-olds in this generation... somehow this generation is extra smart... I feel the better (future) is coming. I believe the situation will be better than it is today. They will be much better than us."
More about the Hema Committee report
Earlier this month, a redacted version of the Justice Hema Committee report on harassment faced by women in the Malayalam cinema industry was made public. It contains shocking accounts alleging harassment, exploitation, and ill-treatment of women professionals. The 235-page report, published after redacting the names of witnesses and the accused, notes that the Malayalam film industry is controlled by about 10 to 15 male producers, directors, and actors who dominate and exert control over the industry.
The report of the three-member panel headed by a former judge of the Kerala High Court and set up by the state government in 2017, was submitted to the Pinrayi-led Kerala government in December 2019 and made public only this month.