Writer T. Padmanabhan, one of the two chief guests at the closing ceremony of the 26th International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK) on Friday, made a strong demand to the State government to implement at the earliest the recommendations in the Hema Commission report to address issues of sexual harassment and gender inequality in the Malayalam film industry. Following this, Minister for Culture Saji Cherian made an announcement that the government will take immediate steps to implement the report and frame a law to address the issues.
"This is a government that has overcome many serious crises. I don't think the implementation of this report is such a huge barrier for such a government to surmount. The report is yet to see the light of the day. The future generations of Kerala will not forgive you if you don't take steps to do it. Time is running out. All the recommendations should be implemented. Wrong-doers must be brought to justice and exemplary punishments given," said Mr. Padmanabhan in a strongly-worded speech that received much applause from the massive crowd at the Nishagandhi auditorium.
Re-igniting the spirit of the festival's opening day, the writer said the 26th edition has now become the most important year for the festival, not only because of the large representation of women filmmakers but also mainly due to the first public appearance by actor Bhavana in five years, after recently writing about her journey from being a victim to a survivor.
"Those who committed criminal acts have to be punished, however high and mighty they may be," said Mr. Padmanabhan.
Speaking out against the practise of branding people who raise questions as anti-national, he also lashed out at the verdicts being pronounced based on “sealed covers”, which he called a “reprehensible trend.”
Actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui, special fuest at the function, said the kind of films being promoted at the film festival, which stand for progressive values, are much-needed in the current times.
