Kerala govt ready to release Hema committee report

The Kerala government is expected release the Hema committee report by 2:30 p.m. on Monday afternoon, 19 August, said cultural affairs minister Saji Cheriyan.

This follows the Kerala High Court’s dismissal on Monday of senior actor Ranjini’s petition seeking a review of the report prior to its public release. The High Court ruled that Ranjini’s plea was inadmissible due to technical reasons and advised her to file a new appeal before a single bench. The court indicated that if Ranjini submitted her appeal immediately, it could be heard by 3 p.m.

Ranjini, who was among those who testified before the Hema committee, argued that she has the right to know how her statement was recorded. She had hoped for a tribunal to address the issues faced by women in the industry and stressed that her intention is to seek justice, not to obstruct the report’s release.

The Hema committee report, compiled under the leadership of Justice K. Hema, addresses issues faced by women in the Malayalam film industry. Ranjini, who had provided testimony to the committee, challenged the court's decision to release the report, citing privacy concerns as well. Although the report was initially scheduled for release at 11 a.m. on Saturday, 17 August, its publication was postponed due to Ranjini’s appeal.

This is the second delay in the report's release. It was originally set for release on 24 July after approval from the State Information Commission (SIC). However, film producer Sajimon Parayil filed a challenge that day, resulting in an interim stay. The court later supported the SIC’s decision and ordered the report to be released within a week, with redactions to protect individual identities.

The Hema committee was established following the 2017 actress assault case involving actor Dileep. The case, which saw the actress abducted and molested by several accused, including Dileep, has been ongoing since then. The report, filed in 2019, has not been released due to its sensitive content.

Ranjini criticised the Women’s Commission and the Women in Cinema Collective (WCC) for not ensuring that participants received copies of the report before its public release. She expressed frustration that these organisations did not pursue legal action sooner. Despite her own involvement with the WCC, Ranjini expressed concerns around procedural fairness and transparency in the compilation of the report.

The Kerala government plans to release the report after removing 63 pages from the 295-page document that could compromise individuals' privacy.