Actor Minu Muneer on Monday levelled allegations of sexual misconduct, and physical and verbal assault against several co-actors and technicians in the Malayalam film industry, including actor and Communist Party of India (Marxist) MLA M Mukesh.
In a post on Facebook, Muneer claimed that actors Maniyanpilla Raju, Idavela Babu and Jayasurya, apart from Mukesh, had physically and verbally abused her while working on a project in 2013. Mukesh represents the Kollam seat in the Kerala Assembly.
Muneer also named advocate Chandrasekharan, and production controllers Noble and Vichu in her post. “I tried to cooperate and continue working, but the abuse became unbearable,” she said. “As a result, I was forced to leave the Malayalam film industry and relocate to Chennai.”
The allegations come a day after senior Malayalam actor Siddique resigned as the general secretary of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes, or AMMA, after an actor accused him of raping her when she was younger.
Additionally, Malayalam director Ranjith resigned as the chairman of the state-run Kerala Chalachitra Academy, days after actor Sreelekha Mitra accused him of sexually harassing her in 2009.
This came against the backdrop of the Justice Hema committee report on sexual harassment and gender inequality in the Malayalam film industry being made public.
Speaking to reporters on Monday, Muneer also accused an unidentified actor of attempting to assault her at a hotel during the shooting of the films Calender (2009) and Nadakame Ulakam (2011), The Indian Express reported.
“He entered the room and pulled me on the bed saying that I will have to consider those who have to be considered for getting better chances,” the newspaper quoted her as saying. “Later, I left that place…Before that, while travelling by a car, [another actor] told me that he would come to my room the next night. He too had knocked at my door during the night.”
She also levelled allegations of misconduct against a third actor in 2008.
“During a shooting in the state capital [Thiruvananthapuram], when I was returning from a restroom, [this actor] caught me from behind and kissed,” she said, according to The Indian Express. “I pushed him down and ran away. He also invited me to his flat. After I rejected the invitation, there was no issue from his side.”
Minu also told reporters that a member of AMMA had also assaulted her when she was trying to apply for membership to the association in 2013. “A person who acted in three films is eligible for membership in AMMA,” she said.
She added: “When I called him [AMM member] over the phone regarding filling the application form, he invited me to his flat. While I was filling the application form at his flat, he kissed on my neck from behind. I ran out of the flat.”
In her Facebook post on Monday, Muneer said that she had spoken against the abuse in an article published in the newspaper Kerala Kaumudi.
“I am now seeking justice and accountability for the trauma and suffering I endured,” she wrote. “I request your assistance in taking action against for their heinous actions.”
Raju rejected the allegations and said that more such claims would surface for “monetary gains” and from those who could not gain roles in films as they expected, The Hindu reported.
On Sunday, the Kerala government formed a seven-member panel of high-ranking police officers to investigate allegations of sexual abuse against several prominent members of the Malayalam film industry.
Justice Hema committee report
Made public on August 19, the report identified a list of 17 problems faced by women in the Malayalam film industry, including demands for sex, sexual harassment and abuse, and assault in their vehicles and at places of accommodation.
The report found that women risk facing “torture” if they express resentment or unwillingness to fulfil sexual demands.
“Violation of human rights of women in cinema by not providing basic facilities like toilets and changing rooms,” the report said.
The committee also said that the unauthorised and illegal practice of “banning” women from the industry is used to prevent them from speaking out against the biases they face at work.
Contracts between employers and employees are made verbally to suit individual requirements, the panel found. The committee also said there were instances in which employers had failed to pay their employees money that had been agreed upon.
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