Thiruvananthapuram: Justice K Hema Commission has recommended that those in the film industry should not ban any person from working in cinema.
Another recommendation is that film producers should arrange for safe accommodation and travel facilities for women working in the industry. People with criminal background should not be appointed as drivers, do not use vulgar language with women, and equal pay are among the 40-odd recommendations of the committee that were released by the government ahead of the meet with the various film associations. However, these have invited criticisms that most of the recommendations lack clarity and there is no understanding of how to implement them.
Other recommendations
The panel also recommended that alcohol and drugs should be strictly prohibited on film shooting sets. There should be a written contract in cinema, the Kerala Cine Employers and Employees Regulation Act should be implemented, and a judicial tribunal should be set up. People should not be called for auditions via social media without registering as a producer. Women should not be harassed in any manner, including by fan clubs or through social media.
Online training on gender equality, minimum wages for assistant directors and hairstylists should be considered as chief technicians, financial assistance should be given to films made by women, and theatres should facilitate the screening of women-centric films are the other recommendations.
Hema panel report should be released: MACTA
The MACTA (Malayalam Cine Technicians Association) federation has demanded that the Hema Committee report should be made public.
After director Ranjith became the Chalachitra Academy chairman, the federation was allegedly excluded from a meeting called by the government over the report. The names of 15 prominent figures from the film industry are learned to be in the report. MACTA president Baiju Kottarakara said that he suspected the report was not being released in order to protect anyone in top posts at government corporations, and academies. The federation also demanded that the names mentioned in the report should be made public.
