Kerala HC orders release of report on condition of women working in Malayalam film industry

Kochi: In what could have far-reaching implications, the Kerala High Court on Tuesday ordered the release of Justice K Hema Committee Report on the conditions of women working in the Malayalam film industry.

The court maintained that the report could be published after a week.

The order of the State Information Commission to make the report public on July 24, 2024, was earlier stayed by the High Court.

The court was acting on a petition filed by a Malayalam film producer Sajimon Parayil who argued that the publishing of the report could badly affect the Malayalam film industry.

In 2017, the Pinarayi Vijayan government appointed a retired judge Justice Hema to study the problems of women in the industry after a 'Women in Cinema Collective' approached the Chief Minister and a report on women’s working conditions in the industry.

Two years later, Justice Hema submitted her report after the state government spent Rs 1.50 crores on the Hema Committee. However, the state government decided not to publish the report.

However, a group of journalists continued to persevere for the publication of the report finally prevailed upon the State Information Commission, which directed the release of the report after deleting certain portions.

The release date was fixed on July 24th at 4 pm however film producer Sajimon Parayil filed a petition and the court stayed it and decided to hear the petition in more detail and issued an interim stay.