The Tamil film industry has finally broken its silence on allegations of sexual harassment following the release of the Hema Committee Report in Kerala, which has shaken the film industry in the neighbouring state.
Director Venkat Prabhu, known for his work on the upcoming Vijay-starrer ‘GOAT‘ and his blockbuster Mangatha with Ajit, has become the first prominent figure to speak out on the issue of sexual harassment in the Tamil film industry.
In an exclusive interview with NDTV, Mr Prabhu expressed his belief that it is time for the Tamil film industry to address the allegations head-on. “At least from now, the Tamil film industry should start clearing things up,” he said.
Mr Prabhu emphasised the need for a safer working environment for women in the industry. “I have two daughters. We need a safer place for women,” he stated. He stressed the importance of ensuring that perpetrators face punishment to deter future offences.
“Ensure punishment so men will be scared to do what they do,” he said.
Underscoring that sexual harassment is prevalent in all sectors, he pointed out that the cinema industry often finds itself under the media spotlight. “Women go through the same in all industries, including media, IT, and sports,” he noted.
When asked specifically whether the industry should have acted on singer Chinmayi’s sexual harassment allegations against lyricist Vairamuthu and actor Radha Ravi, Mr Prabhu indicated that the Tamil film industry is taking steps to address these cases. “The Tamil film industry is taking care of it,” he said. However, a female industry member questioned this, asking, “I don’t know how the industry is taking care of it.”
However, Chinmayi says, “Venkat Prabhu is someone I personally like as a person but he is wrong when he says the Industry is doing something. It isn’t. FEFSI hasn’t done anything – neither issued a directive to make things safe for women at any work place.”
On Sunday, superstar Rajinikanth, when asked if Tamil Nadu should have a committee like the Hema Committee to probe allegations of sexual harassment, stated, “I’m not aware of the Hema Committee report.”
In the past, Vairamuthu denied the allegations and said he would face them legally if a formal complaint were filed.
