Kerala's #MeToo Reckoning: A New Book Exposes Dark Realities

Journalist Nidhi Suresh's upcoming book, yet-to-be-titled, explores multiple cases of sexual violence within the Kerala film industry, including the high-profile assault of a top female actor in 2017. The book aims to unearth the patriarchal structures perpetuating these crimes and the resultant resistance movements, including the formation of the Women in Cinema Collective (WCC).

A new book by journalist Nidhi Suresh promises to shed light on the rampant sexual violence within the Kerala film industry, focusing on multiple assault cases, including a high-profile 2017 incident. The event led to a significant #MeToo movement in India.

In February 2017, a prominent female actor was sexually assaulted by six criminals in Kochi, with superstar actor Dileep accused of orchestrating the crime. This incident sparked significant resistance and an existential crisis in Kerala, often seen as a progressive state.

The Women in Cinema Collective (WCC) was established in 2017, pressuring the Kerala government to form the Justice K Hema Committee to study women's working conditions in Malayalam cinema. The report, partially released in August, has triggered a second wave of #MeToo in Kerala.

(With inputs from agencies.)