Rajinikanth
Unaware
Of
Hema
Committee
Report:
Superstar
Rajinikanth
on
Sunday
said
that
he
was
unfamiliar
with
the
Hema
Committee
report
when
questioned
about
his
opinion
on
the
matter.
The
report,
released
by
the
Kerala
government,
has
been
pivotal
in
highlighting
rampant
sexual
harassment
and
other
issues
faced
by
women
in
the
Malayalam
film
industry.
Rajinikanth’s
comments
come
as
discussions
grow
around
the
need
for
a
similar
committee
for
the
Tamil
film
industry.

The
actor
was
approached
by
media
personnel
at
the
Chennai
International
Airport,
where
he
was
initially
asked
about
his
upcoming
film,
“Coolie.” With
his
characteristic
smile,
Rajinikanth
responded
briefly
about
the
movie.
However,
the
conversation
took
a
turn
when
a
reporter
inquired
about
his
thoughts
on
establishing
a
panel
akin
to
Kerala’s
Hema
Committee
in
Tamil
Nadu.
Rajinikanth’s
response
was
straightforward:
“What?
I
am
not
aware
of
it,
sorry.”

Jiiva
Responds
to
Hema
Committee
Report:
Denies
Similar
Issues
in
Tamil
Cinema

Earlier
in
the
day,
Tamil
actor
Jiiva
also
faced
intense
questioning
from
the
media.
When
probed
about
the
#MeToo
allegations
and
the
Hema
Committee
report,
Jiiva
maintained
that
there
were
no
such
issues
within
the
Tamil
film
industry,
implying
that
the
problems
were
exclusive
to
Malayalam
cinema.
The
Hema
Committee,
named
after
Justice
Hema,
was
set
up
by
the
Kerala
government
in
response
to
a
high-profile
actress
assault
case
in
2017.
The
report
it
produced
unveiled
serious
instances
of
harassment
and
exploitation
within
the
Malayalam
film
industry,
leading
to
widespread
revelations
from
women
who
came
forward
with
their
experiences
of
sexual
harassment.

Among
the
prominent
figures
accused
of
sexual
misconduct
and
abuse
are
director
Ranjith;
actors
Mukesh,
Siddique,
Maniyanpilla
Raju,
Jayasurya,
and
Edavela
Babu.
The
controversy
surrounding
these
allegations
led
to
significant
repercussions
within
the
Malayalam
film
industry.
In
the
wake
of
the
report,
superstar
Mohanlal
resigned
from
his
role
as
the
president
of
the
Association
of
Malayalam
Movie
Artists
(AMMA),
alongside
the
entire
governing
body.
The
association
had
several
members
accused
of
sexual
misconduct,
and
the
resignation
was
seen
as
a
response
to
the
growing
outcry
and
the
need
for
accountability.

As
the
call
for
similar
scrutiny
intensifies
in
Tamil
Nadu,
Rajinikanth’s
lack
of
awareness
about
the
Hema
Committee
report
underscores
the
challenges
in
addressing
such
issues
across
regional
film
industries.
The
conversation
continues,
with
many
advocating
for
measures
to
ensure
a
safer
and
more
transparent
environment
for
all
industry
professionals.