Actor Swara Bhasker recently opened up about the Hema Committee’s findings, highlighting the strong patriarchal norms and financial pressures in the entertainment industry, including Bollywood. She also said that she has deep gratitude and support for the Women In Cinema Collective (WCC) and praised their bravery in bringing issues of sexual harassment and violence to light.
Reacting to the Hema Committee report, which uncovered sexual harassment and exploitation in the Malayalam film industry, Swara Bhasker shared a heartfelt note on Instagram, saying she was “heartbroken” by the committee’s findings. An excerpt from her post read, “It has been heartbreaking to read the findings of the committee. More heartbreaking because it is familiar. Maybe not every detail and not every nitty gritty but the larger picture of what the women have testified to is all too familiar (sic)”.
She added that in showbiz, if one raises her voice, one is labelled a troublemaker and they have to bear the consequences of their reaction. “Showbiz is not just patriarchal, it’s also feudal in character. Successful actors, directors and producers are elevated to the status of demi-gods and anything they do goes. If they do something unsavoury, the norm for everyone around is to look away. If someone makes too much noise and doesn’t let an issue drop, label them ‘trouble-makers’ and let them bear the brunt of their over enthusiastic conscience,” she wrote.
She also wrote that every day of production—whether during shooting, pre-production, or post-production—costs money, and no one likes interruptions, even if someone is speaking up for what’s right. “Showbiz is and always has been a male- centric industry, a patriarchal power set-up. It’s also deeply perception sensitive and risk averse. Every day of production – shoot days but also pre and post-production days – are days when the meter is running and money is being spent. No one likes a disruption. Even if the disruptor has raised her voice for what is ethically correct. It’s so much more convenient and financially practical to just carry on.”
The Hema Committee report highlights issues like sexual harassment, lack of basic facilities, gender bias, and pay disparities in the Malayalam film industry. Meanwhile, megastar Mohanlal has resigned as the president of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) in the wake of multiple sexual assault stories that victims have come forward to narrate.
On the personal front, Swara Bhasker married politician Fahad Ahmed in February 2023, and they welcomed their baby girl, Raabiyaa, in September 2023.
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