The wave of sexual assault and rape allegations rocking the Malayalam film industry has now reached Tamil Nadu, with shocking new accusations brought to light by South Indian actor Sowmya. In an emotional interview with NDTV, Sowmya revealed horrific details of the abuse she endured at the hands of a Tamil director, including claims of severe mental, physical, and sexual exploitation.
Sowmya accused the director of inserting a rod into her genitals for “entertainment” and of grooming her as a “sex slave” over several years. She explained that the director, whose identity she has chosen not to disclose for the time being, initially approached her along with his wife when she was just 18 years old. The director manipulated her into a vulnerable state by pretending to be a father figure, expressing a disturbing desire to have a child with her, and then repeatedly raped her throughout her college years.
According to Sowmya, the abuse did not stop even after she entered the Malayalam film industry, where she appeared in three successful films during the 1990s. The exploitation continued, and Sowmya plans to reveal the director’s identity to the special police team formed by the Kerala government, which is currently investigating multiple cases of sexual assault in the film industry.
In the interview, Sowmya also shared how her family was coerced into letting her act after the director pressured her father, claiming that a significant amount of money had already been spent on her screen test. Despite her initial discomfort, Sowmya felt forced to proceed with the project. She recounted how the director, who called her his “daughter,” began to groom her while dismissing rape allegations made by his biological daughter as lies.
As the manipulation escalated, so did the abuse. Sowmya described how the director kissed her one day when his wife was not around, calling her his “daughter.” Frozen and ashamed, she did not feel able to confide in her friends about the assault. Over time, the abuse worsened, and she eventually endured sexual violence from other actors and technicians. One of her co-stars, who she says also sexually abused her, has been named in the Hema Committee report, a major investigation into sexual misconduct in the Malayalam film industry.
Dr Sujata (Actor Sowmya) musters courage to share how a Tamil Director groomed her to be a sex slave and sexually assaulted her 30 years ago. In Mollywood she was sexually abused. Her co-star is now named in Hema Committee Report.https://t.co/QJyngO0aGe
— J Sam Daniel Stalin (@jsamdaniel) September 5, 2024
Sowmya further recounted a particularly humiliating incident where someone spat paan on her. After years of enduring abuse, she revealed it took her 30 years to recover from the shame and trauma. Now, she is speaking out to encourage other survivors to come forward and share their stories.
Her revelations come as the Malayalam film industry is reeling from a flood of sexual misconduct allegations following the release of the Justice Hema Committee report. This report, commissioned by the Kerala government after the 2017 actress assault case, uncovered widespread harassment and exploitation of women in the industry. Several prominent actors, including Mukesh, an MLA with the ruling CPM, have been implicated in multiple allegations of sexual abuse.
Rajini, Kamal, Vijay, Jiiva, Karthi’s Response (Lack Of It) To Hema Committee Report
Actor Rajinikanth acted all innocent as if he was never aware about the issue or the existence of Hema Committee report. When asked about calls to establish a similar panel in Tamil Nadu, Rajinikanth responded that he was unaware of the report and declined to comment.
Actor-politicians like Kamal Haasan who has been accused of kissing an underage actress back in the day has not even uttered a word about it. Vijay has also remained silent on the issue.
As actor Radhika Sarathkumar highlighted in an interview with Sun News, “Many top actors of Tamil cinema took the time to post about the F4 racing in Chennai, but it’s shocking to see their complete silence on the Hema Committee report.”
Following Radhika Sarathkumar’s interview with Asianet where she talked about harassment in the Malayalam industry, actor Jiiva was asked about these claims and the broader issues revealed by the Hema Committee report, Jiiva insisted that such problems did not exist in Tamil cinema, asserting that these issues were confined to the Malayalam industry. Despite his initial advice to avoid such questions at a public event, Jiiva’s frustration grew as journalists pressed him further. The situation escalated into a verbal exchange, with Jiiva ultimately leaving the venue without further comment. His remarks, however, have drawn attention to the need for greater scrutiny of harassment in the Tamil film industry.
Karthi, the treasurer of the Nadigar Sangam, avoided addressing the topic during a press meeting for his upcoming film Meiyazhagan. When asked by the media, he responded, “This is not the place to have this conversation.”
No Debate By Dravidianist Media
It is well known that the mainstream media in Tamil Nadu is nothing but an extended arm of DK-DMK propaganda wing with its anchors becoming spokespersons of these parties.
If you observe the debates conducted by the Dravidianist media, they’re trying to keep the issue confined to Kerala. Notably, prominent Dravidian anchors on the Hema Committee Report have remained conspicuously absent of prime debates. Perhaps they want to ensure that the fallout doesn’t extend to Tamil Nadu, as it could disrupt the Dravidian film ecosystem, which is currently under the grip of the state’s first family. There are already so many rumours floating around about it. Well, the readers will know.
Nadigar Sangam Finally Reacts To Hema Committee Report
The controversy surrounding sexual misconduct in the Malayalam film industry has prompted the South Indian Artistes’ Association (SIAA), also known as Nadigar Sangam, to take strong measures in Tamil Nadu. The association held a meeting in light of the Hema Committee report to discuss how to handle similar cases of abuse within the Tamil film industry.
The actors’ body has announced that it will take stern action against any individuals proven guilty of sexual offences, including imposing a five-year ban on offenders. In a resolution passed at the meeting, Nadigar Sangam emphasized the importance of forming a Gender Sensitisation and Internal Complaints Committee (GSICC) to address complaints related to sexual harassment. This committee will also provide legal assistance to victims. However, the leadership stressed that women must report their complaints to the committee before disclosing them to the media.
Nadigar Sangam assured that all complaints would be thoroughly investigated and that a warning would be issued to alleged perpetrators before taking further action. The association has established a dedicated phone number and a new email ID for victims to lodge complaints. Senior female actors like Suhasini, Kushboo, and Lissy attended the meeting, offering their support to the initiative.
The association has also pledged to support those seeking to take legal action against inappropriate content on YouTube channels. These measures come as the Tamil film industry remains on high alert, closely observing the criminal cases in Kerala, where over 20 cases against actors, directors, and production controllers have been registered.
As more survivors come forward with their stories, the revelations in the Malayalam and Tamil film industries continue to spark widespread concern about the treatment of women in cinema. It remains to be seen whether the formation of committees like the GSICC in Tamil Nadu will effectively address these issues and ensure that perpetrators of sexual violence are held accountable.