Vetrimaaran, Pa Ranjith, Karan Johar, Zoya Akhtar, Mahesh Narayanan discuss Hema report: 'Not just in Malayalam cinema...'

The Justice Hema Committee report, which highlighted the many workplace challenges faced by women in the Malayalam film industry, was a central topic of discussion during The Hollywood Reporter India's directors' roundtable. The panel included leading filmmakers from across India—Vetrimaaran, Pa Ranjith, Mahesh Narayanan, Karan Johar, and Zoya Akhtar—who shared their admiration for the women driving this movement and emphasized the need for systemic changes in the industry.

Malayalam filmmaker Mahesh Narayanan praised the courage of the women who spoke out following the 2017 kidnapping and assault of a leading actress, stating: “I believe that if you give a person a mask, they will tell the truth. Anonymity is important. That's why this commission was so crucial.”

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However, he criticized the government’s delay in addressing the report, which sat inactive for nearly five years. "My question is, what are the next steps?" Mahesh asked, adding that the report also covered the poor working conditions and treatment faced by women in the industry. "It’s not about passing blame. There must be some resolution, and that’s what we are trying to achieve in Malayalam cinema."

Zoya Akhtar echoed this sentiment, saluting the women of the Women in Cinema Collective (WCC) for their bravery. “These women need to be saluted. The WCC came together for a colleague, stood up, and didn’t back down—despite the risks to their own safety and careers. Five years later, it didn’t go to waste. This is not just about the Malayalam film industry; it’s about every industry and workspace for women in the country.”

Zoya further stressed that the conversation should go beyond the film industry to societal norms that breed male entitlement.

Karan Johar agreed with Akhtar, pointing to the structural issues that perpetuate gender inequality. “Male entitlement is a disease, and it’s spreading. You have to curtail it with conversations,” Karan stated, emphasizing the need for cultural change. He added that the #MeToo movement in the Hindi film industry lacked legal backing, which hindered its impact.

Vetrimaaran weighed in, emphasizing the need to believe women who come forward with allegations. “We need to take the side of the person making the allegations, instead of immediately defending the accused. That person, no matter their stature, has the responsibility to defend themselves or plead guilty,” he said, stressing the importance of ending victim-shaming.

Pa Ranjith expanded the discussion to broader societal discrimination, stating that the movement sparked in the Malayalam film industry should spread. "We need to speak out against all forms of discrimination," he said, adding that the voices of marginalized women, especially those at the lower rungs of society, are often silenced. "We need to first accept that discrimination has been part of our practice for a long time—only then can we move toward meaningful solutions."

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