Jude Anthany Joseph fired 'a big actor' from 2018 for misconduct: 'Name the wrongdoers'

Filmmaker Jude Anthany Joseph has made a strong call for transparency in the Malayalam film industry by demanding that all actors implicated in the Hema Committee report be publicly named. Speaking out on the issue, Jude shared his own experiences with misconduct on film sets, revealing a past incident where he witnessed a prominent actor misbehaving with a junior artist during the filming of 2018: Everyone is a Hero.

In his account, Jude described how he took a stand against the mistreatment of women on his sets by firing the actor, despite the significant impact it had on the production. The actor in question played a key role in the film, and his removal required extensive reshoots, which came at a considerable cost to the project.

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"Instead of beating around the bush, it’s important to state things clearly," Jude remarked, paraphrasing his stance on the need for accountability. He recalled the moment when he saw the actor behaving inappropriately with a female junior artist. "After that, I didn't just cut his scenes—I removed him from the movie entirely. His character was crucial to the narrative, so I had to replace him with another actor and complete the shoot."

Jude also noted that if viewers pay close attention to the film, they may notice the change in actors playing the same role, a subtle testament to the seriousness with which he handled the situation.

The filmmaker emphasized his commitment to ensuring that everyone on his sets feels safe, adding that he would never tolerate wrongful activities during his productions. Jude’s remarks come in the wake of the Hema Committee report, which has brought renewed attention to issues of harassment and misconduct within the Malayalam film industry.

2018 was inspired by the events that unfolded in the wake of one of the biggest calamities in the history of Kerala. Made on a tight budget, the movie, starring Tovino Thomas in the lead, became the first Malayalam movie to breach the Rs 200 crore mark at the global box office in 2023. 

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