Entertainment

Malayalam actress claims she was dropped from 28 films for refusing sexual favours

In shocking allegations, Indian Malayalam film actress Charmila has revealed that she lost 28 film opportunities for refusing to indulge in physical relations.

The allegation from the actress has come as an addition to the ruckus that followed after the release of the Hema Committee report, which exposed widespread sexual exploitation in the Malayalam film industry.

In a recent interview with Indian media, Charmila spoke of a traumatic incident that happened 27 years ago that still dents her career. The incident according to her was harassment and being targeted for abuse in Tamil Nadu during the shooting of Arjunan Piyalam Anshu Makkalam, a Malayalam movie in the year 1997. She was summoned by the production manager to meet the producer alone after a three-day shoot.

She sensed danger and insisted on bringing her assistants along but was persuaded to go alone. On refusing, when she brought her assistants along, a group of 7 to 8 inebriated men met them in the producer’s room. “One of them tried to attack my assistant, leading to a violent scuffle, which spilled out onto the streets,” reads the note.

She managed to run away from the hotel, screaming for help amongst people. The police finally came, but the trauma of that incident remained with her. She said her refusal to “adjust”—an euphemism for yielding to physical relations-led to a reported blacklist for 28 films.

The actress even mentioned that once there was another incident involving Malayalam director Hariharan. She said that Hariharan asked actor Vishnu to tell her to compromise for a role.

Since both refused to do that, they were dropped from the film. Later, Vishnu confirmed Charmila’s allegations, saying that the reason for their ousting from that particular film was because of those demands by the director himself.

These statements come in the wake of the report submitted by the Hema Committee, which said that sexual harassment is common in the Malayalam film industry. The report also said many women are afraid to speak against such exploitation for fear of being blacklisted by the industry.

The terms “adjustment” and “compromise” have become disturbingly common, with evidence to suggest that prominent industry figures are involved in the racket.

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