The December 8 acquittal of actor Dileep in the 2017 sexual assault case instantly triggered an outpouring of solidarity for the survivor. While a strong chorus of women from the film industry and allied groups expressed solidarity with her there were only a few scattered voices of male colleagues who spoke up.
One of them was Prakash Bare, theatre and film actor. Prakash told TNM that he was saddened by the verdict, but not surprised by it.
“This is a court that has been on trial for the past several years. This is a court where 28 witnesses [of the prosecution] changed sides. This is a court where very sensitive and crucial evidence had leaked out from. And this is a court where the survivor had relived her trauma,” Prakash Bare, who has appeared in a Dileep film Arike said.
Continued trust in the legal system becomes hard but the fight has to go on, Prakash said. He expressed hope that an appeal would lead to a verdict that will bring justice.
Filmmaker Kamal KM, known for making Pada and I.D., too was not surprised by Monday’s verdict. “I realise that proving a conspiracy is very difficult but if all the obstacles were surpassed in the interests of social justice, it would have been a great message. We had carried unrealistic hope even though the expectations were low,” said Kamal.
But this is not a small fight, he acknowledges. It is a fight against rape culture and the whole patriarchal system. “So it is a long and historic fight, and it will continue. I am happy that the government has immediately decided to appeal the verdict at a higher court. There are many responses coming in support of the survivor. So clearly, there is hope,” Kamal adds.
Film director Aashiq Abu, who has always stood with the survivor and the Women in Cinema Collective that backed her, did not make an explicit comment on the verdict but shared stories of support, and the government’s decision to appeal.
Big shots in the industry are yet to make a comment despite the case involving two major actors in Malayalam cinema. Neither of the senior superstars have made a comment.
Strikingly absent were the voices of prominent male stars. Prithviraj Sukumaran, who had immediately taken a stance against anti-woman elements in Malayalam films, as a reaction to the attack on his friend and colleague in 2017, has been silent after the verdict. Other stars including Dulquer Salmaan, Nivin Pauly, Tovino Thomas and most of the younger brigade have not spoken after the verdict. Asif Ali, who faced reporters when he came to cast his vote on December 9, said that he has always been with his dear friend and survivor, but refused to comment on the verdict, saying that it would be contempt of court.
However, moves were made, within hours of the verdict, to reinstate Dileep in the film associations that he had been removed from following the case.
