Hema Committee Report: Kushboo Sundar urges women to speak up, recalls being sexually abused by her father

Amid an outpouring of reaction over the release of the Hema Committee Report, Kollywood actress Kushboo Sundar has come forward to voice her support for the #MeToo movement in Malayalam cinema. The actress recently took to her social media pages to pen a long note addressing the ongoing issue and urged survivors to come forward and speak about their abuse without hesitation. 

Kushboo on Hema Committee Report

She expressed deep concern over the current state of the #MeToo movement in the industry, and acknowledged how it can be a heartbreaking experience. While she praised the establishment of the Hema Committee Report as a necessary step to address abuse, she questioned whether it would truly bring about change. “Why is a woman alone expected to go through the grind? Although men face it too, it's primarily women who bear the brunt,” the actress pointed out. 

Kushboo also mentioned having a conversation with her daughters regarding the ongoing issue and was struck by their empathy and support for the victims of such abuse. She addressed the challenges women face in coming forward, including the fear of being shamed, victim-blamed, or questioned about their actions. “It doesn’t matter whether you speak today or tomorrow, just speak. Speaking up immediately would help in healing and investigating more effectively. The fear of being shamed, victim-blaming, and questions like ‘Why did you do it?’ or ‘What made you do it?’ break her,” the Tamil actress asserted. 

Kushboo on being sexually abused by her father

Reflecting on her own experience, Kushboo acknowledged that she should have spoken earlier about the abuse she endured at the hands of her father. The actress had previously revealed that she was physically and sexually abused by her father when she was around 8 years old. “Some ask me what took me so long to speak about my father's abuse. I agree I should have spoken earlier. But what happened to me was not a compromise to build my career. I was abused by the person who was supposed to provide me with the strongest arms to hold me if I fell,” she said. Kushboo ended the note by calling on men to be a 'beacon of hope' and solidarity for those who have suffered. 

Hema Committee report impact

Ever since the Government of Kerala released the long-delayed Hema Committee Report on August 19, 2024, several women from the Malayalam film industry have come forward to share their experiences of abuse at the hands of prominent figures in Mollywood. Popular names, including Siddique, Jayasurya, Mukesh, Baburaj, Renjith, and Idavela Babu, were among those accused of sexual misconduct. Following the sexual harassment allegations, the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (A.M.M.A) was recently disbanded, with president Mohanlal and 17 other key members of the committee resigning on ‘moral grounds.’ 

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