Trigger warning: This story focused on a case of sexual violence. While there are no graphic descriptions, it may be a difficult read for some.

Researched by: Vagda Galhotra and Prafula Grace Busi

First, here’s what happened

• On February 17, 2017, the survivor was being driven in her car to a studio.
• The driver conspired to stage an accident with a tempo. When he stopped the car, three men entered the vehicle. They included one of her former drivers, Pulsar Sunil.
• She was then assaulted in the moving car—while her driver drove the car in the middle of crowded streets. The men took videos and photographs of the assault.
• And she was finally dropped at the residence of a film director—who called the police.

A conspiracy to rape

Meet Dileep: The reason this case became sensational is the involvement of Dileep—aka Gopalakrishnan Padmanabhan. The powerful veteran actor is often described by fans as “Janapriya Nayakan”—or ‘hero of the masses’. He is considered one of the leading lights of Malayalam cinema, alongside Mohanlal and Mammootty. 

The allegation: is that Dileep commissioned the gang rape of the survivor. He blamed her for the collapse of his first marriage to actor Manju Warrier—which ended in divorce in 2015. The reason: The survivor told Warrier about his extramarital affair with another actor, Kavya Madhavan. So Dileep decided to teach the assault victim “a lesson”—and recruited Pulsar Sunil. He offered Sunil a chance to act in films and paid him Rs 15 million (1.5 crore).

The arrest: Sunil and six other men were arrested soon after the rape—after being identified by the survivor. But Dileep was soon implicated after a tip off from Sunil’s fellow inmate—and a letter from Sunil demanding money surfaced as evidence. He was arrested in July, and briefly held in custody. But he has since received bail and is still making movies–with the support of the film industry whose most powerful figures have rallied to his cause. His latest movie dropped on December 31.

Why this case matters

It is a perfect example of the process being the punishment in rape cases in India—more so when the accused is a powerful man.

Dileep the victim: Initially, it looked as though Dileep would become a pariah within the industry—and cast out of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists. The AMMA instead threw its support behind Dileep, moving to reinstate him in 2019. The president, Mohanlal—one of the best-known actors in the industry—told reporters: “When the topic came for discussion, no one voiced any disagreement, and many members even spoke in Dileep’s favour.” The survivor and her supporters have instead resigned the organisation in protest—leaving her isolated within the industry.

Also this: A number of prominent actors—including Sidhique and Bhamaa—who had testified to Dileep’s grudge against the survivor turned hostile. More importantly, from the very start, Dileep has been framed as the victim. A actor and MP Innocent Vareed Thekkethala put it: 

“We will not allow anyone to victimise Dileep. It is not like the yesteryears. The situation today is such that if there is any bad behaviour towards any women, the media will know immediately. But if the woman is bad, maybe they will go to bed.”

Point to note: Whether the media went “to bed” or not, Dileep successfully got a gag order preventing media organisations from reporting on the trial. And the local press has been consistently hostile to the women pushing for justice—with male journalists often heckling them during press conferences.

The Hema commission: Soon after the assault, a group of 18 actors, producers, and directors formed the Women in Cinema Collective—which lobbied Chief Minister Pinaryi Vijayan to take action against the exploitation of women in the film industry. The government appointed a three-member committee—led by a retired judge K Hema. The committee submitted its report in December, 2019—but its contents have not been made public. Vijayan has repeatedly refused to table the report in the Assembly—and all RTI requests have been rejected. The justification: protecting the privacy of victims who offered testimony about their abuse. The glaring lack of action speaks volumes for activists fighting for change:

“In the guise of ensuring the privacy of victims, the government is clearly protecting the interest of the perpetrators. I found the argument of privacy highly irrational. If a woman approaches the police with a complaint against a powerful person, can they say it cannot be entertained because of the safety concerns of the victim?”

They also note that the film industry has not been notified as a workplace—making it exempt from sexual harassment laws—including the requirement for a Internal Complaint Committee.

Point to note: In an interview with Kochi Times, committee chief Hema made it plain the report’s contents reveal deep-rooted abuse:

“There is a renowned actress who has not received a call for a film for four years, despite proving her talent because she resisted the atrocities. I have reported everything, but since it is in camera, it will be confidential. There are many such experiences which are heart-breaking. Almost all women in the film industry have faced the question of ‘compromise’.”

The bottomline: Just think about all the national attention and ink given to Salman Khan’s shooting of a couple of black bucks.

Reading list

Huffington Post has a very good piece on how male superstars like Dileep and Mohanlal control the Malayalam film industry. Also in Huffington Post: A detailed account of the many delays in Dileep’s trial—which offers a good example of our broken judicial system. The News Minute has details of the suppression of the Hema Commission report—and of recently emerged evidence of Dileep’s involvement that is fairly damning. This paper looks at the critical role played by the Women Cinema Collective.