Recently made public, the Justice Hema Committee report has indicted the Malayalam film industry for creating a toxic and misogynist environment for its female actors and technicians. The report has detailed several incidents of sexual exploitation and even assault in the industry. The committee was formed way back in 2017 in response to one of the most infamous cases of assault the industry has seen – one that pushed a promising actress away from the big screen for years.
The infamous Bhavana assault case
Karthika Menon, better known by her stage name of Bhavana, began her film journey as a teenager in 2002. By the end of the decade, she was counted among the most prominent and bankable actresses in Malayalam cinema. In 2017, her career met an unexpected roadblock, however. In February, Bhavana was abducted and reportedly sexually assaulted by a gang of men in a moving vehicle, while she was returning from a shoot. The incident caused nationwide furore and the police jumped into action. Traumatised by the incident, Bhavana withdrew from the industry for five years, returning only in 2022.
Dileep’s arrest in Bhavana assault case
In April, reports claimed that popular Malayalam star Dileep had connection with the case. In July 2017, Dileep was arrested by Kerala Police after they named him in the chargesheet as an accused. Even though the actor was released on bail later, the case continued. Five years later, after details emerged showing Dileep attempting to intimidate the case’s investigating officer, new charges were filed against him in the case.
Bhavana’s comeback to films
Bhavana made her first statement about her ordeal only in 2022, as she returned to acting full time. Her statement about her continued fight was met with support from stalwarts of Malayalam cinema like Mohanlal and Mammootty, as well as Bollywood A-listers. Prior to this, Bhavana had worked in a few Kannada films. She returned to Malayalam films with the 2023 release Inspector Ntikkakkakkoru Premondarnn. Since her comeback, she has worked in a handful of other Malayalam films, and has a bunch of Tamil and Kannada projects lined up as well.
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