Sexual harassment is a topic of ever-growing urgency and concern across the globe. More recently, the conversation has sparked widespread commotion throughout the entire country. The media and entertainment industry has not been exclusive of this commotion. The sector has been grappling with more and more outrage over cases of sexual harassment at the workplace.
National Award-winning Malayalam-language film ‘Aattam’, has recently been brought into the limelight considering the fact that it could be India’s official submission to the Oscars. The film follows the aftermath of an alleged sexual assault within a theater group. After a post-performance party, the troupe’s sole actress, becomes the victim of a crime committed by her male colleague.
The theme has become relevant, now more than ever with the recent release of the Justice Hema Committee report. While the findings highlighted issues of gender discrimination and harassment in Malayalam cinema, it is common knowledge that similar outcries have also risen from other industries in Indian cinema, but to no avail.
More than that, why do we, as a country, need films as a medium of education on basic human behaviour?
While sexual harassment remain a topic of international discussion, why is it that such films leave a long-standing mark on viewers and yet sexual assault cases seem to be on the rise all throughout the world? How many more years will it take for other cinematic industries to recognize the systemic discrimination that their workings breed?