“Why don’t you just kill me,” lamented internationally acclaimed cinematographer Prathap Joseph on Facebook in September last.
The post on his agony over continued neglect and loss of opportunities on not having membership in the Film Employees Federation of Kerala (FEFKA) was representative of many a stifled voice in Malayalam film industry and should have set the alarm bells ringing.
Instead, it got drowned in the cacophony of social media. Fast forward a few months and it was left to the Women in Cinema Collective (WCC) , the first such initiative in film industry anywhere in the country, to put things in perspective about the working of an otherwise closed industry.
Since then the industry has come under intense public scrutiny over diverse issues such as unfair trade practices, hegemonic stars, a law unto themselves-fans, gender disparity, discrimination, ostracisation, cyberbullying, prejudices, to name a few.
Formed in the wake of the sexual assault of a woman actor early last year, the WCC upped the ante recently when four of its members resigned in protest from the Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes (AMMA), which at its general body meeting decided to reinstate the actor who stands accused in the case even before he was acquitted by the court. Under pressure from the larger society as well, AMMA revisited the decision, helped in no less measure by the accused actor’s decision not to seek re-entry before the acquittal.
“Those resignations made it clear that we are no longer ready to put up with the power structures. In fact, such small rebellions are enough to actually pull down such seemingly impermeable forces,” says Deedi Damodaran, script writer and one of the founding members of WCC. Ms. Damodaran was aghast that an industry that boasts 90 years of legacy didn’t even have a platform for its member to complain about her ordeal. She asserts that the collective remains steadfast in the commitment to the founding principles of equal participation and remuneration, women-friendly working atmosphere, and gender justice in the industry despite its members being made to pay for their voice and every gesture.
FEFKA membership
Referring to the unfair trade union practices, Prathap recollects how a hefty fee, more than the biggest pay he had received until then, was required for a membership in FEFKA. “What is the need for such arbitrary rules and regulations in a creative art space like cinema,” asks Mr. Prathap.
However, FEFKA general secretary and filmmaker B. Unnikrishnan says that none is under compulsion to join the organisation. “When you have pension benefit and a refund of double the amount, this is the only way this union can survive. If you are giving us ₹1 lakh, we are remitting it as fixed deposit for 10 years. It’s a kind of an investment,” he explains.
Filmmaker Vinayan is scathing about the dominance of a select few. “They think they are supreme and can ostracise filmmakers and actors who speak up against their undemocratic approaches,” he seethes.
Award-winning filmmaker Bijukumar Damodaran feels the government cannot remain a mute spectator to the unfair practices and hence should share part of the blame. He cites the long continuing and illegal practice of filmmakers having to approach the Kerala Film Chamber of Commerce to get the publicity clearance and title registration done before a movie is submitted to the Censor Board for certification.
Registration
“The Film Chamber will not issue the certificates to anyone who is not a member of bodies like the Kerala Film Producers Association, FEFKA, etc. Why cannot the government entrust that responsibility to the KSFDC (Kerala State Film Development Corporation) or the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy,” he asks.
But G.P. Vijayakumar, president, Kerala Film Chamber of Commerce, claims that the Chamber was entrusted with the task based on an understanding between the Censor Board and the government. “There is no other body to oversee these requirements (to issue publicity clearance and title registration certificates) in the State.”
While G. Sureshkumar, president, Kerala Film Producers Association, also claims that title registration certificate issued by the Film Chamber was part of the norm prescribed by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, it doesn’t seem to hold water.
The argument is shot down by A. Pratibha, Regional Officer of Central Board of Film Certification, who made it clear that publicity clearance and title registration certificates from the Chamber were not at all mandatory for censoring a movie. “I am going by a directive of the Kerala High Court stating that we should not insist on these clearances from the chamber for censoring a movie,” she says.
There had also been instances of trade bodies deploying ingenious methods to throw a spanner in the smooth working of film professionals. Not so long back, a cinematographer-turned-director’s big budget movie was barred from being exhibited on the ground that he did not support an undeclared strike by trade bodies.
Another filmmaker who was at the receiving end of the shenanigans of film bodies, says on condition of anonymity that these organisations enjoyed, what he described, politics of monopoly whereby the members who do not fall in line are left in the lurch with no other alternative.
Interestingly, M.C. Bobby, general secretary of the Film Exhibitors United Association of Kerala, says one cannot go against the decisions taken by the organisation while being part of it. “That is like betraying the organisation,” he says.
Cyberbullying
Then there is the appalling practice of cyberbullying, targeting especially those who dare to speak up against stars, with actor Parvathy and filmmaker Bijukumar (who had to delete his social media account owing to the barrage of abuses) being its latest victims.
“Bullying, especially body shaming of women, in the cyberworld has become a very complex affair with a faceless mob taking refuge behind the face of a star and, in some cases, they end up besmirching the image of recognised fans’ associations,” says actor Mala Parvathy.
Asked about the need for the fraternity to put up a united front against cyberbullying, AMMA joint secretary and actor Siddique would only say that it must be fought collectively.
