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Author Arundhati Roy and actor Parvathy/ YT
At the 2024 Wayanad Literature Festival, author Arundhati Roy and actor Parvathy Thiruvothu came together for a powerful conversation. They discussed the Justice Hema Committee report, focusing on issues of sexual harassment and the alleged toxic culture in the Malayalam film industry. They talked about how this culture affects the stories and art that come out of the industry.
The conversation also looked at the differences between older and younger generations in how they view misogyny and patriarchy. Roy and Thiruvothu shared their thoughts on how things are changing and the challenges for creating a safer, more respectful workplace.
Parvathy And Arundhati Roy Reflect On The Malayalam Film Industry's Hidden Battles
The conversation, rooted in the aftermath of the Hema Committee report, unraveled the complex dynamics of power, gender, and art that permeate the industry. Parvathy began by acknowledging the "sordid" nature of the industry's foundational practices, a term that Roy offered as an apt description.
She recalled her own experience, starting 17 years ago, where the industry's façade of familial bonds masked a sinister undercurrent. "They'd say things like, 'We are a family.' But that was just the tip of the iceberg. To the extent that about 17 years later, when someone says that to me, I can say, No, I have a family. You're my colleague. Let me now get to the basics. And let's do some definitions, because that has been used as a weapon to exploit over and over and over again.” she reflected
The conversation took a deeper dive into the industry's intricate mechanisms that upheld this silence. Parvathy described how even basic interactions were orchestrated to prevent solidarity among women, “The process they applied is to make sure women never share notes. So we were all, by structure, we were made to be floating islands. We would never meet.” This, she pointed out, stifled any organic camaraderie that could challenge the prevailing norms.
“Associations will have grand events where we'd be told what to wear, how to wear it, all for the benefit of everyone looking very Malayalee and good girls," she added. It wasn’t until she noticed the lack of basic sanitation that she began to question these norms.
This issue sparked her realisation, and she began to speak out. "Some of the men started backing it up because they're much older, and they had prostate issues. So now they also want in on this. Some girl started a petition, and suddenly it wasn’t about equality or sanitation anymore, but because they just needed someone to start it," she said.
This experience unraveled years of normalized people-pleasing behavior ingrained in her. "I realised even though I had normalised the fact that there are a bunch of people you need to continue to please. You have to police yourself even when you're asking for a contract, speaking in half a voice so that they still like you." She recounted the gradual unlearning process, admitting, "It’s okay to lose work, it’s okay to leave this industry. The moment I decided that, I was like, now it's time I can get to work."
As a founding member of the Women in Cinema Collective, iscussing the formation of the Women in Cinema Collective, she acknowledged the newfound awareness of privilege and intersectionality within feminism. "It also throws light on what privilege has, and the intersectionality of feminism was lost on me and many others. We were calling them out but had to start calling ourselves out too." She described the atmosphere as "sordid," saying, "Now, no one can go back. They can't put a facade back on. They can't fool people. The public knows too much."
Roy, visibly moved by the insights, voiced her concern about the broader cultural implications. "What does this do to art?" she asked. National Film Award winner, Parvathy shared that her hope for the future of art remains steadfast despite the confusion. "What will come of the art is what I hope. It will be very confusing for a while, but clarity is what we seek. Unless we continue to make art, write it as a feature but do not miss anything.".
Concluding, she said, "I mean, they were so worried about releasing this report and kept it down. And yeah, anyway, it's sad." Yet, Parvathy emphasised the importance of continuing to build a new room for change and progress, stating, "It’s all about the artillery, the room we have to now build."
Older Generation's Commitment to Misogyny and Patriarchy
Roy then inquired about the younger generation wondering if there was a shift toward more egalitarian ideals or if things were still controlled by the older generation. "Aren’t there younger men who actually see the value of creating more when you have women, and not just women, but everyone on the spectrum, thinking with you? Isn't that more exciting, more expansive, more oxygen for creativity?" she asked.
Parvathy’s response revealed a stark truth about the situation. She reflected on the differences between the older and younger generations in the industry, stating, "They’re not the same. It is a little worse. The older generation is more committed to misogyny and patriarchy. The laziness of the younger generation bothers me. They're the fence sitters whose conscience needs to be pricked and skinned. Because they can see it clearly now." She also noted how some in the industry are disgruntled at not receiving the same privileges as their predecessors.
Parvathy also offered a hopeful perspective. "At least when there is noise, there’s hope for change," however, she also highlighted the contrasting transparency of the issues in Mumbai with the silence in other industries. "The other industries where it's all happening but everyone keeps very quiet, that scares me more. Everybody knows what's going on in Bombay, but it's not talked about, and nobody's putting in a committee to study it."
The Glorification of Outdated Masculine Ideals in Cinema
Parvathy also touched on the current trends in cinema, describing films with large budgets that perpetuate outdated notions of masculinity saying, "There are films that are made for big budgets that are extremely on the side of men's rights activism." She recognised how these films seek to glorify an "alpha male" persona and reinforce traditional gender roles. However, she expressed a sense of clarity, noting that, "Okay, I see what you're doing, and now I have to raise you this." She added that the notion that they still had to go and find work with them was something that had been deeply ingrained in them.
Reflecting on the ingrained notion that they had to find work within the existing system, Parvathy spoke of a slow but steady transformation. "It’s like peeling an onion," she said. "It keeps coming out, and when it does, it’s like, ‘Oh, this is just common sense.’ You should have known this."