Mumbai: Actress Radhika Kumaraswamy has addressed the controversy surrounding the Hema Committee report in Kerala, saying that she has never faced sexual harassment in her career. In an interview with TV9, Radhika said, “I have never been sexually harassed. However, I faced a disturbing experience early in my career.” She recalled an incident during her early days in the film industry when she faced an uncomfortable situation involving torn stockings. “During the shoot, the stockings that were given to me got torn. When I asked for another stocking, I was publicly humiliated,” Radhika said. Despite this initial setback, she stressed that her experiences in the industry have never involved sexual harassment.
Radhika urged that any cases of sexual harassment within the industry must be met with strong protest and accountability. “If such incidents are happening, we must all unite and demand justice,” she added. “No woman in the Kannada film industry should face such issues.” The Malayalam film industry has been mired in controversy after the Justice Hema Committee report was released on August 19, 2024. The report revealed widespread discrimination, sexual harassment and unethical working conditions within the industry, leading to multiple allegations of sexual harassment, rape and exploitation.
Radhika Kumaraswamy’s comments come amid this turmoil, highlighting her personal stand against harassment and calling for systemic changes to ensure a safe environment for all professionals in the film industry. Meanwhile, a section of Kannada actors, writers and directors have demanded a panel like the Justice K Hema Committee to look into the issues faced by women in Sandalwood. “While FIRE has played a key role in establishing India’s first film industry Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) in the Kannada film industry and advocating for survivors of sexual harassment (2017-present), we believe more comprehensive measures are needed to create a safe and equitable working environment for all women in the industry,” the forum said in a statement on Wednesday. The letter was signed by 153 prominent personalities including FIRE president Kavitha Lankesh, Ramya (Divya Spandana), Shruti Hariharan and senior advocate Jayna Kothari.
