Prominent actress Khushbu Sundar shares her views on the Hema Committee report
One of the leading actresses of the South Indian film industry, Khushbu Sundar, has opened up about her views on the recently released Hema Committee report in Malayalam cinema. In a thought-provoking social media post, the popular celebrity acknowledged the courage shown by the women who came forward and testified before the committee.
The Hema Committee was constituted a few years back to look into allegations of sexual harassment faced by a leading actress in 2017. Khushbu recognized the importance of the committee's work in addressing the abuse that has unfortunately existed in the industry for long. However, she questioned if the recommendations will be enough to stop such behavior permanently.
In her post, the 53-year old actress highlighted how abuse, asking for inappropriate favors and expecting compromises are challenges faced by women across all fields, with cinema being no exception. She urged people to realize that speaking up about these issues is a difficult decision for victims and they should not be questioned or blamed for delays in their testimony. Taking her own example, Khushbu admitted she should have opened up earlier about the trauma faced in her personal life as well.
Khushbu's message emphasized the need for empathy, support and belief in women who brave stigma to voice their experiences. She saluted their courage and wanted men to stand in solidarity against violence. Asserting that no means no, the actress told women to never compromise on their self-respect even in tough situations.
With over 25 years of work in the industry across multiple languages, Khushbu Sundar's insightful perspective has struck a positive note in the ongoing discussion around women safety post the committee findings. Her words reiterated the need for organizational and societal reforms to curb harassment.
