The cover of the book ‘Malayalam Cinema: Hema Committee Paranjathum Sarkar Parayathathum’
Updated on: 24 Sep 2026, 3:05 am
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: “A prominent actor repeatedly sought sexual favours from his heroine during a film shoot. Once she turned down his request, he physically attacked her causing her to undergo a long ayurvedic treatment!”
Thus goes one of the incidents narrated in the book.
More skeletons will tumble out of Mollywood’s closet, as a new book on the report by Hema Committee, which exposed the dark underbelly of Malayalam cinema, revealing harrowing truths of sexual exploitation, casting couch, gender discrimination and gross financial exploitation, is all set to hit the stands.
Titled ‘Malayalam Cinema: Hema Committee Paranjathum Sarkar Parayathathum’ (Malayalam Cinema: What the Hema Committee said and the government didn’t!), the book authored by former state information commissioner A Abdul Hakkim, who had issued an order under the RTI Act to make the Hema Committee report public, could open another Pandora’s Box in Mollywood. Hakkim, who had waged a lone battle to protect the larger public interest behind the report two years ago, has almost completed the work.
The book contains chilling accounts of survivor stories and harassment in the Malayalam film industry, mentioned in statements given to the Hema Committee. It details incidents of harassment deposed by artists before the panel, how concerted efforts with political backing were made to block the Hakkim’s order to prevent the report from being made public as well as the persistent attempts to weaken the State Information Commission (SIC).
It also deals with Hakkim’s personal account of the mental harassment he underwent, while serving on the SIC.
“When it came to denying public access to the report, some officials were more loyal than the king,” Hakkim told TNIE.
He said his work also covers certain extracts from the committee report – portions legally permissible to be revealed but have not yet been brought out. “Such personal accounts are mentioned without compromising on the individuals’ privacy,” he maintained.
Another incident narrated is how a stunt master repeatedly harassed a heroine who was hospitalised after he deliberately orchestrated her fall, and how the production executive insisted she show up for shooting in the afternoon.
The book also sheds light on matters like constant exploitation of junior artists, lack of clarity over skin exposure/nudity and the extent to which romantic scenes can be portrayed, facilities for female artists, besides drugs and substance abuse on sets.
Right from conspiracy to the Me Too Collective, recommendations by Justice Hema, actor Sarada and ex-IAS officer Valsala Kumari in addition to the division bench in SIC, the book covers almost everything behind the report.
It makes a strong argument on why the government should take a call to make the entire committee report public, so as to expose the dark underbelly of Mollywood. To be the work features a preface from former Kerala High Court judge Kemal Pasha, who sheds in-depth light into the legal and social aspects of the committee report and Hakkim’s order
